Dear GPRA members,
Happy New Year! I am delighted to introduce myself as your new GPRA President. Starting in this role has provided me with the opportunity to reflect on the key priorities we can address together. Ultimately, our shared goal is a healthier GP system and workforce, ensuring the best health care outcomes for all Australians.
Some of my key priorities include:
- Removing barriers to GP training – addressing challenges such as base rate pay disparities and loss of entitlements compared to specialist training hospital colleagues, to create a level playing field for GP registrars.
- Growing Future GP pathways – engaging medical students and prevocational doctors through initiatives like the General Practice Students Network (GPSN) and the proposed Future GP Peer Hubs, ensuring strong interest in general practice.
- Promoting excellence in training – supporting GPs in training to participate in high-quality programs that prepare them to deliver exceptional care.
- Supporting GPRA IMG members – tailoring advocacy, educational resources, and events to meet the diverse needs of you – our members.
What this means, with a looming Federal Election, is that I will be leading GPRA’s call to establish an independent National Employment Fund for GP registrars and increased investment in future GP peer to peer initiatives (see GPRA’s independently costed Federal Budget submission). GPRA’s Submission aims to:
- establish an independent GP Training Leave Support Fund ($17 million annually) for eligible registrars to access parental leave and study/exam leave
- provide a base rate wage supplement ($40 million annually) to bridge the base rate income gap for first-year GP registrars as well as
- fund the Future GP Peer Hubs Initiative ($2 million over two years) to promote general practice and foster connections between experienced GPs and the emerging GP workforce.
Following our request in our December 2024 GPRA eNews, I again urge you to help us achieve this national employment reform for GP registrars by contacting your local Federal representative and asking them to show their support for GPRA’s Federal Budget Submission. Please write or email (using the provided template as a guide), or tweet or call your local Federal MP. You can find your local member and their contact details here. Thank you to those who have already contacted their local MP. Help us get this message to every politician in Australia. Together our voice is clear – this election we need commitments from all parties to fund GP registrar pay parity.
I’m also excited that I will be meeting with SA-based members at the Future GP Forum and Members Lunch in South Australia on Saturday 1st February 2025. If you haven’t RSVP-ed yet, it’s not too late, please do so at events@gpra.org.au
I look forward to working together with you over the next two years of my Presidency to strengthen the future of general practice.
Warm regards,