News
‘Honoured and humbled’: GP advocate recognised
The RACGP WA Chair has been named AMA’s state Advocate of the Year, using the win to celebrate positive change and progress for GPs.
(L–R) WA Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson, Dr Ramya Raman, AMA WA President Dr Michael Page, at the awards. (Image: supplied)
Dr Ramya Raman, RACGP WA Chair and fierce general practice advocate, has been awarded the inaugural Australian Medical Association (AMA) WA’s Advocate of the Year award.
Dr Raman was awarded at a ceremony in Perth last week, with around 250 guests gathering to help celebrate the year’s outstanding medical practitioners and students, including State Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson,
She told newsGP receiving the award is ‘a real honour’.
‘There’s a consideration that this sort of award recognises not just general practice, but throughout the healthcare industry, whether it be through medical students or junior doctors,’ Dr Raman said.
‘It’s very humbling to have been nominated by colleagues at a time when general practice is going through quite a significant level of regulatory changes … particularly with the evolution of how general practice may potentially look, the changes that we are seeing and the focus areas that we have within the college.
‘I’m very honoured and humbled to be part of this journey at this point in time.’
WA Faculty Manager Hamish Milne with AMA WA Advocate of the Year and RACGP WA Chair, Dr Ramya Raman. (Image: supplied)
Alongside Medical Student of the Year, the Advocate of the Year is a new category in this year’s AMA WA awards, acknowledging ‘significant and remarkable dedication and leadership in promoting positive change and enhancing the wellbeing of their colleagues throughout the healthcare industry’.
Sitting on the RACGP Board as WA Chair, Dr Raman has led as college advocacy representative on issues such as GP workforce and pharmacy prescribing in her state. She is also a GP academic at the University of Notre Dame and is passionate about strengthening the future of general practice.
Dr Raman says the advocacy award symbolises the RACGP’s relationship with the AMA and the collaboration in voicing concerns and advocating for the profession.
‘We have had close working relationships, and I’m really proud to say that we’re continuing these in our discussions,’ she said.
‘Organisations can have varying opinions but we can also align, and there is a lot of strength in that, and our voices are usually stronger and heard better when there is better alignment, particularly with government.
‘That doesn’t mean we have to align on everything, but there are opportunities for us to align, and it’s a real honour to have been recognised by an external organisation such as the AMA.’
RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins posted on Twitter/X she is ‘incredibly proud’ of Dr Raman.
Advocacy is
central to the RACGP’s ongoing work, and Dr Raman said ‘passionate teamwork’ is entrenched in this.
‘I want to extend my sincere thank you to the team behind the scenes, because there’s a great deal of work that goes on in the background, whether it be with reviewing papers, and how this has implications to other organisations, to our GPs, to practices, allied health,’ she said.
‘I’m merely just a delivery tool, the forward-facing person in the scheme of things.
‘And it’s important to celebrate and acknowledge those members behind the scenes who do that work.’
Log in below to join the conversation.
advocacy AMA general practice award RACGP WA Western Australia
newsGP weekly poll
Do you think the Federal Government’s expansion of Distribution Priority Areas will make it harder to recruit GPs to regional and remote Australia?