GPs’ Gaza comments prompt months-long investigations

The RACGP is urging the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) to fast-track assessments of complaints made against GPs who publicly express views on the Gaza conflict.
 
It comes at the same time as an update to the RACGP’s statement on the conflict, acknowledging the ‘immense and heartbreaking human toll of this ongoing humanitarian disaster’.
 
Multiple GPs have received an AHPRA notification after expressing views on the conflict, according to a letter written by RACGP President Dr Michael Wright to AHPRA chief executive Justin Untersteiner.
 
The letter says complaints have been made after GPs expressed opinions on social media ‘including those of a political nature’, or if they had participated ‘in activities criticising the treatment of civilians in Gaza’.
 
‘These members advise complaints are taking several months to investigate, despite ultimately resulting in no disciplinary action being taken against the practitioner,’ Dr Wright said.
 
The college asked the regulator to ‘commit to fast-tracking the assessment and finalisation of complaints of this nature’.
 
The RACGP also requested AHPRA ‘give greater prominence to its guidance on social media activity through all available communication channels’.
 
The measures ‘will provide clarity for both health practitioners and prospective notifiers about what constitutes inappropriate behaviour and when a notification is warranted,’ Dr Wright said.
 
He also highlighted the college’s ‘longstanding concerns’ about the time taken to resolve complaints as well as the mental health toll on GPs under investigation.
 
‘Every effort must be made to improve the timeliness of investigations to minimise the harm caused to practitioners, particularly where a complaint is made vexatiously or deemed frivolous by AHPRA,’ he wrote.
 
The college said it would welcome the chance to work collaboratively to help put in place a revised process to vet social media posts and political statements more efficiently, and therefore ‘freeing up time and resources for AHPRA to investigate genuinely harmful content and behaviour’.
 
An AHPRA spokesperson confirmed the agency had received notifications ‘covering a range of political views on social media’.
 
These included ‘concerns that might be characterised as antisemitic, as well as concerns around comments that might be characterised as Islamophobic,’ they stated.
 
‘We are carefully reviewing social media use in line with our assessment process and expect to be able to respond to individual concerns quickly.
 
‘This includes taking into account the significant distress felt by practitioners concerned about the safety of individuals within the Jewish and Palestinian communities in Israel and Gaza.’
 
They also drew attention to AHPRA’s social media guidance.
 
‘When using social media, practitioners are expected to uphold the same standards of behaviour as when engaging in person with colleagues, patients and all other people,’ they stated.
 
Meanwhile, in its updated position statement on the Gaza conflict, the RACGP expressed its support for the World Medical Association Council Resolution on the Protection of Healthcare.
 
‘Access to safe healthcare is a human right, and medical neutrality in conflict zones must never be sacrificed,’ it says.
 
‘We condemn any destruction of healthcare facilities, vehicles and other infrastructure and resources required to maintain human health and life, including restriction of aid and mass starvation.
 
‘These acts are unacceptable and violate fundamental principles of international humanitarian law.
 
‘We join with the global community in calling for international humanitarian law to be adhered to, and any alleged violations of international law to be swiftly investigated.
 
‘We echo calls for a timely resolution to this conflict to end the suffering of innocent civilians on all sides.’
 
Help is available for RACGP members through the GP support program.
 
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AHPRA Gaza notifications