Dr David Gunn

Dr David Gunn is a Canadian-trained GP with over two decades of clinical experience spanning emergency medicine, hospital care, opioid agonist therapy, and complex general practice. Based in the Northern Rivers region of NSW for nearly a decade, he offers a distinctive harm reduction–oriented model of care focused on patients with overlapping challenges such as chronic pain, anxiety, trauma, dependency risk, and polypharmacy. His practice also reflects longstanding experience in the care of older adults, including those in residential aged care settings.

He works within an interdisciplinary clinic in the Northern Rivers alongside colleagues in internal medicine, addiction, neuropsychiatry, and psychology. Additional allied services, including nutrition and psychology, are supported remotely via Mode Healthcare.

His clinical interests include:
• Mental health (anxiety, trauma, sleep disturbance)
• Chronic pain and nervous system sensitisation
• Substance use and harm reduction strategies
• Opioid agonist therapy
• Polypharmacy reduction and safe deprescribing (especially in older adults)

He holds specialist qualifications in both Canada (CCFP) and Australia (FRACGP), and is a founding member of Cannabis Clinicians of Australia. He has contributed to the development of one oral cannabinoid medication and continues to advocate for rational, patient-centred approaches to cannabinoid prescribing.

A long-time advocate with Harm Reduction Australia, he is also active in clinician education, including delivery of RACGP-accredited training in cannabinoid prescribing, mental health, and Schedule 8 medication management.

Known for his practical, grounded style, he creates space where patients can talk honestly—especially those who’ve found it hard to connect with healthcare in the past. He works from the foundation of evidence-based general medicine, but his approach leans strongly toward real-world problem-solving and harm reduction. His view: if the plan doesn’t work for the patient, it doesn’t work.

Credentials

  • Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Fellowship (FRACGP) 2016 - PRESENT 

  • Fellowship in the College of Family Physicians of Canada (FCFP) 2015- PRESENT 

  • College of Family Physicians of Canada ( CCFP) 2005 - PRESENT

  • Accredited by RACGP for Focussed Psychological Strategies (Certified Provider of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) 2020

  • NSW Government Department of Health Authorised Prescriber of methadone and buprenorphine for the purpose of treating opioid dependent individuals 06/04/2019

  • Australian Government Department of Health Therapeutic Goods Administration Authorised Prescriber of Cannabinoid Medicines (Medical Cannabis) 11/11/2019

  • Australian Medicinal Cannabis Course 03/2018

  • Health Canada License for Methadone Prescribing for Opioid Dependence 2014

  • Harm Reduction Australia Advocate since 2019  https://www.harmreductionaustralia.org.au/david-gunn 

  • Emerald Clinics Medical Advisor and GP since 2018, providing education and consulting regarding prescribing cannabinoid medicines to physicians and treatment of patients in Australia under Emerald’s “Evidence Generating Care” model