Professor David Perkins is Professor of Rural Health Research at the Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health, The University of Newcastle. Previously, David was Director of the Centre for Remote Health Research at the Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health, University of Sydney. He completed his doctorate in the UK and worked as a senior manager in the NHS. He researches primary health care systems in rural and remote settings with a particular interest in mental health services. His research includes narrative systematic reviews, rapid reviews, controlled trials, service evaluations, and a major rural mental health cohort study examining patterns and predictors of mental disorder in rural and remote settings. He has held academic positions at the Universities of Kent, Wollongong, New South Wales, and Sydney. Current research includes the development and evaluation of a new service model for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, analysis of data on utilisation of mental health services by rural and remote residents, research on new models of clinical workforce development in remote settings, and the development of new mental health service models in primary health care. David is editor in chief of the Australian Journal of Rural Health and an Associate Editor of the International Journal of Integrated Health Care. He was convener of the second National Rural Scientific Research Symposium held in Brisbane in 2010. He has published widely in Australia and overseas in peer reviewed articles, reports, edited books and an authored textbook on health economics. He is currently director of the Australian Rural Health Research Collaboration of Rural Research Centres and Health Services in New South Wales. He is Chief Investigator C in the Centre of Research Excellence in Rural and Remote Primary Health Care with responsibility for Stream 3 which is developing and evaluating new primary health care services.