standard-title Doctors & Practitioners Paramount Medical Clinic prides itself on recognising the unique healthcare needs of each individual patient and the importance of personalised care from all of our friendly and helpful staff.

Doctors & Practitioners

Paramount Medical Clinic prides itself on recognising the unique healthcare needs of each individual patient and the importance of personalised care from all of our friendly and helpful staff.

Photo of Dr Andrius Balnionis

Dr Andrius BalnionisBook Appointment
General Practitioner – MBBS (Melb), DipRACOG, DOM, MBA, DipDerm

Dr Balnionis is the Principal of Paramount Medical Clinic. He graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1986, and has postgraduate qualifications with a Diploma of Obstetrics, Diploma of Occupational Medicine, and an MBA.

He worked overseas, in Hong Kong for 13 years caring for both local and expatriate patients, and he is experienced in caring for patients from diverse backgrounds, including non-English speakers.

He has over 35 years experience in General Practice, with special interests in skin cancer screening and management, skin disorders, aviation medicine, travel medicine, women’s health and paediatrics, psychological care, occupational health and preventative healthcare.

In his free time, he enjoys drawing and painting, reading literature, listening to jazz, travel (when possible) and keeping fit. 

Areas of interest:

  • Skin checks
  • Skin conditions
  • Aviation Medicals
  • Travel medicine
  • Women and Children’s health
  • Psychology
  • Occupational health
  • Preventative health care

Speaks English and Lithuanian. Understands basic Japanese, Cantonese and French.

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Dr Sue Cox
General Practitioner – MB. ChB. FRACGP MRCGP(uk), MRCP(u=UK). DFFP

Dr Cox graduated from Bristol Medical School in the UK in 1984. She has a broad range of experience, working extensively in expedition medicine and General Practice for over 35 years, both in the UK and Australia. Her special interests are in student healthcare, women’s health, contraception, sexual health, internal medicine and minor surgery.

She has 4 young children and is consulting part-time. When not at work she tries to keep fit and loves nothing better than curling up with a good book.

Areas of interest:

  • Student health
  • Woman’s health
  • Contraception
  • Sexual health
  • Internal medicine
  • Minor surgery

Speaks English.

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Dr Elizabeth McKenzie
General Practitioner – MBBS (Melb), DRANZCOG

Dr McKenzie graduated from the Melbourne University School of Medicine in 1987 and maintains a postgraduate Diploma of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (DRANZCOG).

She has many years of General Practice experience, with special interests in women’s health, including contraception and menopause, sexual health, paediatrics and psychological health.

She worked overseas for 12 years, in the UK and Hong Kong, caring for both local and expatriate families from a wide range of backgrounds. She has 3 children and is consulting part-time.

Areas of interest:

  • Women’s health
  • Paediatrics
  • Sexual and reproductive health
  • Psychology

Speaks English.

Dr Choi Kwan
General Practitioner – MBBS, FRACGP, DRANZCOG, Dip PallMed, GradCertIT

Dr Kwan completed his medical training at the University of Western Australia.  He has been a GP for over 20 years, and has also spent time working in student health, women’s health, psychiatry and palliative care services.  Dr Kwan enjoys the diversity of General Practice in the Melbourne CBD. 

Outside work, Dr Kwan enjoys swimming, bushwalking, IT and spending time with his kids.  

Areas of interest: 
  • Student health
  • Mental health
  • Student health
  • Sports injuries
  • Skin checks
  • Occupational health

Speaks English and Cantonese.

Dr Cecilia Ha
General Practitioner – MBBS

Dr Cecilia Ha graduated from University of Western Australia in 1994. She moved to Melbourne in 2004 where she worked at RMIT Health Services, followed by Swanston St Medical Centre, until its closure in December 2022.

Dr Ha is interested in women’s health and enjoys helping students, both local and from overseas. She consults in English and basic Cantonese. Besides looking after her son, her pastimes include gardening and helping out at her local church.

Areas of interest: 
  • Women’s health
  • Student health

Speaks English and Cantonese.

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Brian Lee
Senior Physiotherapist

Brian graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2004 and has since worked in various healthcare settings, where he gained extensive experience in managing acute, chronic, and complex conditions.

Brian brings wealth of knowledge into workplace, sports, spinal, musculoskeletal and post-operative physiotherapy. He is also an experienced dry needling practitioner (western medicine style of acupuncture), and has completed several professional courses over the years, including hydrotherapy, clinical Pilates, the McKenzie method and pain management, to ensure best care practice for his patients.

Areas of interest:

  • Workplace and sports injuries
  • Spinal and musculoskeletal conditions
  • Post-operative physiotherapy
  • Diagnosis and treatment of chronic and complex conditions

Speaks English and Mandarin.

For more information and online booking, visit Primelife Physiotherapy.

Taeko Sakurai
Psychologist – Gra Dip Sci (Psychology), M Psychology (Counselling), MAPS BA (Psychology)

Ms Taeko Sakurai is a registered psychologist. She was born in Japan and has been living in Melbourne since 1984. She is a native Japanese speaker with fluent English. She graduated from Swinburne University of Technology, and has been counselling for more than 20 years on a wide range of emotional, behavioural and relationship issues.

Taeko is a Focusing-Orientated Psychotherapist, and a Certified Focusing Trainer. She has also completed the Relationships Australia Specialist Course in Couple Therapy, trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), and has extensive experience dealing with international students and EAP (Employee Assistance Program). Her special interests are in cultural adjustment, stress management and relationship counselling.
 
Taeko lives with her husband and children, and two cats. She loves Pilates and goes to the gym on a regular basis. She practices Zazen meditation every day.
 

Areas of interest:

  • Counselling
  • Relationship counselling
  • Cultural adjustment
  • Stress management

Speaks English and Japanese.

Junko Fukuhara
Counsellor

Junko is a registered counsellor with the Australian Counselling Association. She works with adults and couples to help them with mood-related issues, eating disorders, relationship issues, domestic violence and abuse, and grief associated with crimes and scams.

She has a wealth of knowledge regarding cultural issues as she grew up in Japan and immigrated to Australia. She is also knowledgeable about Arab society and culture through her youth work. Her lived experience will support her clients going through difficult times.

$120 per session.

Areas of interest:

  • Counselling
  • Relationship counselling
  • Cultural adjustment
  • Mood issues
  • Eating disorders
  • Domestic abuse
  • Crimes and scams

Speaks English and Japanese.

Ayako Watkins
Japanese Registered Dietitian – PhD (Medicine)

Ayako is a Japanese registered dietitian. She was born and trained in Japan, graduating from the Japan Women’s University in 2008. She has 10 years of experience in the clinical setting in Japan, from hospital food preparation and planning to nutritional management for inpatients and outpatients. She was a certified diabetes educator in Japan, with over 3,000 hours of consultation experience with patients with diabetes. She completed a PhD on the effects of nutrition on cancer immunity.

Ayako became a dietitian because she loves cooking and eating, she believes that the best diet is a varied, satisfying one, with as few restrictions as possible. Her consultation starts with seeking to understand her patients’ dietary patterns and lifestyle so as to provide tailored and practical advice throughout her patient’s dietary journey. Ayako understands that changing habits can take time and is best supported by small achievable steps that allow patients to independently choose and enjoy eating.

Ayako moved to Melbourne from Tokyo with her family in 2019. When she is not with her kids, she enjoys trying out new food/ingredients from all over the world.

Speaks English and Japanese.