About Dave

Dr David Gunn
General Practitioner – MD, CCFP, FCFP, FRACGP

Dr David Gunn is a Canadian-trained GP with over two decades of hands-on experience spanning emergency departments, opioid treatment programs, hospital wards, and complex general practice. He now lives and works in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, where he offers a deeply human, harm reduction–oriented model of care.

Dave’s clinical work is grounded in evidence-based medicine, but his approach is refreshingly real. He doesn’t believe in cookie-cutter plans or rushing to prescribe, instead, he meets patients where they’re at, especially those who’ve felt unheard or overlooked by the system.

He’s particularly passionate about supporting people with overlapping challenges like chronic pain, anxiety, trauma, substance use, and polypharmacy. He has longstanding experience in caring for older adults, including those in residential aged care, and takes a particular interest in safe deprescribing and nervous system sensitisation.

Dr Dave works within an interdisciplinary clinic alongside internal medicine, addiction, neuropsychiatry, and psychology colleagues, with additional support from Mode Healthcare’s team of health clinicians. He’s a founding member and current clinical chair of CCA, a long-time advocate with Harm Reduction Australia, and a contributor to the development of a new medication. He also leads accredited clinician training through RACGP in the areas of safe prescribing, mental health, and Schedule 8 medication management.

His key clinical interests include:

• Mental health (anxiety, trauma, sleep disturbance)

• Chronic pain and nervous system sensitisation

• Substance use and harm reduction

• Opioid agonist therapy

• Polypharmacy reduction and safe deprescribing (particularly in older adults)

What patients appreciate most about Dr Dave is his calm, practical presence. He creates space for honest conversations, without pressure or judgement. He’s the kind of doctor who sees the bigger picture, makes time for nuance, and helps people find their way back to feeling better in their own skin.

And when he’s not in clinic? You’ll probably find him somewhere off-grid with his kids, behind the wheel of his well-loved Land Cruiser Troopy.

Credentials