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GPs have ‘unique perspectives and voices that need to be heard’
RACGP Quality Care Chair Professor Mark Morgan explains how members play a role in advocacy through representation.
The RACGP currently has more than 100 GPs in representative roles.
The RACGP often receives requests from government and other stakeholder organisations for GP representation on all manner of national committees, advisory groups, parliamentary enquiries and public hearings. We currently have more than 100 GPs in representative roles.
RACGP representatives provide expertise to inform government and other stakeholders and this advocacy can influence change within the Australian health system. GPs have unique perspectives and voices that need to be heard.
As generalists in the system, we advocate for patients and for a strong, vibrant and financially sustainable primary care system. In my opinion, no policy or clinical guidance should ever be imposed on general practice without very careful consideration and engagement with GPs.
As representatives, college members are:
- advocating for their patients
- sharing their clinical expertise
- increasing their own knowledge of government policy and advocacy
- developing professional networks and connections.
The RACGP Expert Committee – Quality Care (REC–QC) oversees the
Representatives and endorsements program which sources and nominates representatives ensuring appropriately experienced GPs provide a professional voice to promote the college and general practice.
Some examples of members representing the RACGP are detailed below.
I recently appeared at the Parliamentary
inquiry into long COVID and repeated COVID infections. This was an opportunity to present the RACGP’s
submission and highlight that GPs are best placed to provide coordinated care for patients with long COVID. However, to do so, it is important that GPs receive more clinical and professional support.
The Government also recently published its
Evaluation of the Better Access initiative. A number of RACGP representatives fed into the evaluation process.
Associate Professor Caroline Johnson, Dr Cathy Andronis, Dr Eleanor Chew and Associate Professor Morton Rawlin provided vital insight and context, which no doubt contributed to the evaluation’s conclusion about the overall positive impact Better Access is having and recommendations to better support the GP role.
The RACGP continues to call for
greater regulation of cosmetic surgery. Associate Professor Magda Simonis is part of the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care’s Cosmetic Surgery Advisory Committee looking at addressing safety and quality issues for this industry.
Dr Brett Montgomery is our nominated representative for the Prostate Cancer Foundation’s Expert Reference Group for the update of the
Prostate cancer guidelines. There has been much debate over the years about the value of prostate-specific antigen screening and the guideline update will include examination of whether new approaches to testing change the risk-benefit analysis.
Strong RACGP representation on this group will be key to ensuring the updated guidelines provide primary care and GPs with current, evidence-based resources for this area.
These are just a handful of examples. Many more dedicated members are doing fantastic work on behalf of the RACGP, the profession and our patients.
If you are considering becoming involved in RACGP representation, an information sheet for members is available
online. It provides advice on:
- the types of representation roles available
- what to consider when deciding whether to nominate for representative roles
- how to claim CPD points for representation work
- where to find further information.
For more information on representation opportunities, you can contact the national Representatives and Endorsements Coordinator, via
email, or via your relevant state faculty.
Finally, the RACGP
Representatives’ handbook provides information on the role and responsibilities of being an RACGP representative. It’s an invaluable resource for members considering representation roles.
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