Phil is a West Australian trained ophthalmologist and was one of the founding surgeons who established the Eye Surgery Foundation charity in 1990.  He has supported the charity through pro-bono work on the board of the Perth Eye Centre and the Eye Surgery Foundation since then and continues to the current day. He operated at the Perth Eye Hospital for many years and served as chairman of the Perth Eye Centre board.  He left that board in 2016 to join the Eye Surgery Foundation board and subsequently played a central role in establishing the Perth Eye Foundation charity. 

In 2010 he was appointed an Associate Clinical Professor at UWA and has co-authored over 50 peer reviewed publications. He provided regular specialist services to the Pilbara region of W.A for 25 years and has worked in Timor. In 2017 he received an AM in recognition for his commitment to providing ophthalmic services in areas of unmet need and his voluntary services in Australia and overseas. Phil was actively involved in the evolution of the Eye Surgery Foundation into the Perth Eye Foundation.