General Practice Registrars Australia Ltd. (GPRA) is the peak national representative body for GP Registrars. Since the inception of general practice vocational training in 1974, GP Registrar representation has played an integral role in maintaining educational relevance and standards. GPRA provides essential feedback on Registrar issues to relevant stakeholders and represents the future of General Practice.
GP Registrars (GPRs) are the future of General Practice. They are graduated doctors who are training in the specialty of General Practice with the length of the training being a minimum of three years.
GPRA's Vision
GPRA will promote General Practice as the medical specialty of choice and improve the healthcare of all Australians through excellence in education and training for registrars present and future .
GPRA History and Corporate Profile
The GPRA began as part of the RACGP Training Program in the early 1970s and was known as the National Training Association (NTA). 'Registrar' replaced the term 'trainee' in the 1990s and thus the National Registrars Association (NRA) was born. This was again changed in 2000 to the General Practice Registrars Association when the organisation was independently funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing. In 2004, GPRA became incorporated as a public company limited by guarantee and is called General Practice Registrars Australia Ltd. GPRA is a not - for - profit organisation and has been recently listed as a 'Health Charity' which positions it as the only charitable organisation dedicated to supporting General Practice Registrars.
The main objectives of GPRA are:
- Improve the healthcare of all Australians through excellence in education
- Promote the profession of General Practice
- Advance the unity of the profession
- Support the needs of GP Registrars and their families during their training
- Demonstrate a commitment to excellence in General Practice
GPRA is an organisation run for Registrars by Registrars which provides quality representation on educational and policy issues to the federal government, GPET, RTPs, and GP stakeholder organisations (e.g. Divisions of General Practice, AMA, RACGP, RDAA and ACRRM). GPRA produces a number of educational and professional resources for GP registrars, including a series of publications, several events and regular newsletters to optimise Registrars' training experience. GPRA also performs the function of the industrial body for GP Registrars and negotiates the 'National Minimum Terms & Conditions for Basic and Advanced GP Terms' with the National GP Supervisors Association (NGPSA) which govern the minimum conditions of employment for Registrars.
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When the training program was transferred to a regionalised training model in 2000, regional training providers (RTPs) were established to deliver the training. Each RTP employs one or more Registrar Liaison Officers (RLO) who provide support to Registrars and facilitate Registrar input into the program. The RLOs from each RTP and registrar representatives on other national organisations such as RACGP, GPET, ACRRM and the AMA constitute the GPRA Advisory Council.
The GPRA Advisory Council meets face-to-face two to three times a year and communicates daily via an email list-server, thus forming an Australia wide network from which to source solutions to local and national training issues. This continuous evaluation and feedback greatly enhances the quality of GP training, and RLOs in each region are given a unique opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of GP education and training.
GPRA has an eight member Board and a Management unit that continually strive to provide enhanced support and services to GPRA members. The GPRA Board Directors are elected from GPRA's membership at each Annual General Meeting in August.. The Board relies on the GPRA Advisory Council to inform GPRA policy, positions and representation to stakeholders. The GPRA provides an excellent training ground for general practice registrars in committee work, representation and leadership.
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GPRA Board
Dr Belinda Guest (Chair)
Belinda has been GPRA Chair for 1 year and is a Registrar with Valley to Coast and is based in Newcastle, NSW. She graduated from Newcastle University in 2001 and after completion of intern and resident years spent 2 years working in Paediatrics before deciding that General Practice was to be her vocation. She currently combines part time General Practice with the GPRA Chair role. In her spare time she loves staying active, playing Oztag and Mountain bike riding with her husband and also enjoys just spending time with friends over a bottle of Hunter Valley wine.
Dr Danika Fietz (Vice Chair)
Dr Danika Fietz graduated with MBBS in 2004 from University of Melbourne after having also trained and worked as a Registered Nurse graduating with BN (Honours Class 1) in 1997 from University of Sydney. She moved north to QLD to work at the Gold Coast Hospital during her first few post-graduate years and chose to settle on the Gold Coast and train in General Practice. Dr Fietz was the Registrar Liaison Officer (RLO) at Central and Southern Queensland Training Consortium (CSQTC ). She is passionate about the future of General Practice and will be using the knowledge and skills that she has gained during her period as an RLO to assist with directing the future of GPRA.
Dr Jennifer Mooi
Jennifer has a culturally diverse background in being born in Malaysia but bred in "the land of the long white cloud" (New Zealand!). Jennifer enrolled in the Australian GP training programme in 2007 and has been training in Nth QLD, with TMT. She served 2 years in the role of RLO for TMT registrars. She is currently completing Advanced Skills Post in Medical Oncology at Townsville Hospital, and has also completed the Advanced Clinical Diploma in Palliative Care. She has a passion for cancer care and hopes to continue working in this area, in addition to General Practice.
She believes that a good doctor is one who is passionate about, and most importantly enjoys, the work that they are doing.
Jennifer is also receipient of the GPET/Medical Observer Award for GP Registrar of the Year 2009.
Dr Abhi Varshney
Abhi Varshney recently completed his training with the Central and Southern Queensland Training Consortium in Brisbane, and is a recent fellow of the RACGP. He graduated from the University of Queensland, and initially pursued his surgical training in Orthopaedic Surgery. He continues to have an interest in Orthopaedics, procedural work as well as mental health. Based in Brisbane, Abhi works as a GP and is currently looking to set up his own practice. He was recently awarded the RACGP Registrar of the Year Award, 2009, for his work in Registrar education and promotion of General Practice as a primary specialty choice for recent graduates. When not working, Abhi enjoys the benefits of the work/life balance offered by General Practice, spending time with his wife and young daughter and playing and watching most sports, particularly cricket.
Dr Bennie Ng
Dr Bennie Ng graduated from the University of Western Australia and is a fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioner (RACGP). He holds a Master of Business Administration and is a member of Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is currently the Manager for Primary and Community Care at Hong Kong Hospital.
Authority's Strategy and Planning Division. Previous to his current
appointment, he was an advisor to the previous Federal Health Minister on Medicare, primary care and aged care issues. He has been the Managing Director of General Practice Registrar Australia and held board positions to both GPRA, Western Australian General Practice Education and Training (WAGPET) and WA Faculty of RACGP.
Dr Wicky Wong
Profile coming soon
Dr Lana Prout
Lana is an intern based in Gippsland, Victoria. She graduated from Monash University in 2009 upon completion of her MBBS and Bachelor of Medical Science degrees. Lana was invovled with GPSN throughout her last 2 years of medical studies including spending her final year as the Monash GPSN student Ambassador. She intends to start GP training in 2010 and eventually aims to become a rural GP-
Obstetrician/Anaesthetist. Outside of medicine Lana enjoys listening to music, dancing, playing hockey and spending time with her family and friends.
Ms Mary Wyatt
Profile Coming soon
Amit Vohra
Chief Executive Officer
Amit is a young entrepreneur with strong business management skills. He holds exceptional experience in Client, Employee and Resource Management. With a penchant for soft systems methodologies and action research in a business environment, he takes keen interest in Business Entrepreneurship in the Non-Profit Sector. With over 3 years experience in working with Boards, Amit is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has completed the Company Director’s course. Amit holds an MBA (with distinction) from Curtin University and is currently doing his PhD in health administration looking at decision choice markers amongst current and future entrants in General Practice. With an extensive 8-year background in Merchant Navy, he has travelled over 20 countries and worked with diverse nationalities. He has also obtained his Shipmasters Certification from the Nautical College Australia. Amit has served as Treasurer on the Executive Board of the Curtin Alumni and has a keen interest in managerial accounting concepts. Amit’s nearest and dearest includes his wife and a little puppy and he likes to spend his time outdoors, with a special affinity for water sports, hiking and biking. Feel free to contact him via email at md@gpra.org.au.
Margo Field
Senior Manager
Margo.Field@gpra.org.au
Margo has been with GPRA since the beginning of 2008. She works closely with Amit on special projects as well as managing the GPRA team. At the moment she is heavily involved in setting up the GP Compass initiative.
Kate Marie
Business Development Manager
Kate.Marie@gpra.org.au
Kate Marie specialises in strategic marketing and publishing, both traditional and online, within the health and medical sectors. She enjoys working in emerging (transformational) technology and services areas that potentially support consumer and practitioner empowerment in the delivery of healthcare and other related services. She has a strong background in sales and marketing and has been involved in the start-up and re-launch of several publications and technology ventures, both here and Asia.
Kate’s strengths lie in being able to understand and manage a broad range of areas to do with building marketing-oriented businesses: from strategic management, product and business development, sales and marketing management, alliance development to project management.
Connie Lambrou
Project Manager
Connie.Lambrou@gpra.org.au
Connie manages te GPSN Schwartz First Wave Scholarship program and also provides support to the GPRA board. Connie enjoys doing policy work, writing and editing marketing communication material and collating research reports.
Janice Lim
Communications Officer
Janice.Lim@gpra.org.au
Janice provides member services and implements sponsorship services. She is involved in coordinating GPRA events and meetings and organises for GPRA/GPSN to exhibit at conferences run by other health organisations throughout the year. Janice also provides support to the board, RLO's and senior management.
Rebecca Qi
Accounts Officer
Rebecca.Qi@gpra.org.au
Rebecca handles all things related to accounts. She has a passion for number crunching and is currently undergoing her CPA. Rebecca also provides administrative support around the office.
Laura Borelli
GPSN Project and Marketing Officer
Laura.Borelli@gpra.org.au
Laura porvides administrative support to GPSN executive and local clubs in relation to GPSN initiatives. As the GPSN Project Officer, her role is to ensure smooth running of all GPSN clubs and related projects. Laura also enjoys attending national events and conferences to promote General Practice to medical students and encourage signing up to GPSN.
Georgina Johnston
National Membership Development Manager
Georgina.Johnston@gpra.org.au
Profile coming soon
Mary Lambrou
GP Compass Project Officer
Mary.Lambrou@gpra.org.au
Profile coming soon
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