Dr John Deery: Championing GP ownership and the future of General Practice – an interview with Chair of the General Practice Alliance
Many registrars aspire to own their own practice. GPRA spoke to the Chairperson of the Australian General Practice Alliance (Dr John Deery) about his career, what it is like to run your own practice and advice for future GPs.
Dr John Deery, Chair of the Australian General Practice Alliance (AGPA), is a seasoned medical professional who has combined his passion for patient care with the complexities of managing successful GP practices.
With a career that has spanned over two decades, John has become a leading advocate for GP-led practices, working to support general practitioners and safeguard the future of the sector.
John’s journey into medicine wasn’t born from a singular moment of inspiration, but rather from his innate competitive spirit.
“I was just a very competitive kid, and getting into medicine was the hardest thing, so I thought I would do that,” he recalls.
Growing up in the New South Wales country towns of Tumut, Moree, and South Grafton, John’s early years were marked by a love of sport, which would later influence his career in more ways than one.
Before becoming a GP, he was a professional rugby league player for the St George Dragons and the Sydney Roosters.
He is now the business owner of YourGP@Crace, YourGP@Lyneham and YourGP@Denman in Canberra, and is passionate about delivering high quality care to patients.
“Most GPs would feel that being a GP is a real privilege,” he shares. “You get to form meaningful relationships with your patients and get paid well. I think it’s a very fulfilling career that people would be very happy to get involved in.”
Reflecting on his own medical journey, John recalls sage wisdom from an experienced GP during his time as a medical student: to be a great family doctor, one must be a physician, philosopher, and friend.
What is the AGPA?
AGPA was founded in 2016 to represent the interests of GP practice owners, recognising the vital role they play in delivering effective primary care.
As Chair of AGPA, John is a strong advocate for GP ownership in Australia, emphasising that the Australian model of GP-owned private general practice has contributed significantly to the country’s reputation as a highly efficient and effective primary healthcare system.
“I’ve always felt that the potential for the best care for patients would be provided in a practice that’s GP-led,” he asserts.
“At AGPA, we provide advocacy and education for GP practice owners to help them run their practices well and to try to give politicians insight into the business of general practice.”
“The continuation of high-quality primary healthcare in Australia is dependent on the continued viability of the practices that provide the leadership and infrastructure that allows GPs to practice and patients to access the healthcare system,” he explains.
“AGPA seeks to ensure the continued viability of these practices by advocating for the interests of GP practice owners.
“The continuation of high-quality primary healthcare in Australia is dependent on the continued viability of these practices.
“We aim to ensure that practice owners are supported in managing their businesses effectively, allowing GPs to focus on what matters most – delivering exceptional patient care.”
Running Your Own Practice: Tips, tensions, and the business of medicine
John highlights a key challenge in general practice: the difficulty of balancing clinical duties with business management.
“Running a business is quite different from being a GP,” he says. “I’d rate being a GP as a having a difficult of six or seven out of 10, but business ownership is an eight or nine out of 10.”
Many practice owners struggle with this balance, and John has seen first-hand how neglecting the business side can lead to burnout.
“I know colleagues in Canberra whose businesses have run them into the ground and made them unwell,” he shares. “That’s why we provide education and support to help practice owners.”
He emphasises that practice owners create the environment where GPs work, or the “playground.”
“We want that playground to be healthy,” he explains. “GP ownership ensures that practices focus on improving health outcomes for patients, as owners have a personal investment in both their staff and patients.”
John believes that when staff are engaged and enjoy their work, patient care improves.
“In GP-led practices, the focus is on creating a positive working environment, which directly leads to better health outcomes,” he says.
“In my business, it’s around having highly-engaged staff, highly-engaged GPs, patients raving about us and getting improved health outcomes, and that leads to profit.
“That profit’s then just a tool that you use so that you can expand your services to help more people.”
Advice for Future GPs and aspiring Practice Owners
For GP registrars and early career GPs, John offers valuable advice: “There are several tensions that you need to be able to hold in balance all the time.
“There’s always going to be a tension between ‘I need more patients’ or ‘I need more time’ If you can’t manage this tension, it’s going to be a very hard road.”
He stresses the importance of spending time working on the way you provide health care, not just delivering it.
“Reflect on what you are doing and how you are doing it. I have found tremendous efficiencies and provide better care due to this reflection. Don’t just think about the content, think about the process”
For John, the satisfaction in owning a practice comes not just from patient care but from nurturing and developing other leaders within his team.
“I have stepped back to one and a half clinical days a week, so my main superpower is actually not in providing care to patients,” he explains.
“My main game these days is by providing care to my GPs so that they can provide exceptional care to patients.
“I also lead a team of 50 or 60 other employed staff as well – so my role is just caring in a different way.”
He finds great joy in seeing his business grow and thrive, watching colleagues develop into leaders in their own right.
“It’s rewarding to see something you’ve started grow, and to see leaders being developed under your coaching.”
Support for GP owners and future leaders
AGPA provides a wealth of support for current and aspiring GP practice owners.
John highlights the importance of connecting registrars with practices that align with their goals and values.
“We are trying to enhance our website so that we can help registrars link up with practices,” he shares.
“We also offer small peer groups for practice owners so they can talk their issues through.
“One of the challenges of owning a practice is that it can be quite isolating, and having a peer group to help you along the way is vital.”
When it comes to policy, John calls for sensible reforms to Medicare rebates, especially the need for an independent pricing authority.
He is also a strong advocate for the idea that patients should contribute a small fee to their care, ensuring that they understand the value of the services they are receiving.
“I think the rebates should be increased dramatically. The rebates for longer consultations should reflect the time GPs spend with patients, especially as our patients are becoming more complicated,” he argues.
Get involved: Join AGPA and shape the future
For GPs or emerging GPs interested in practice ownership, John encourages them to get involved with AGPA.
“We have associate memberships for those who are not practice owners but are interested in owning a practice in the future,” he says.
“Just reach out through our website to our secretariat, and we can help organise that.”
John’s passion for GP ownership and his advocacy for the sector are clear.
As the landscape of general practice continues to evolve, his leadership within AGPA is aimed at ensuring the future of GP-led practices in Australia is secure, sustainable, and focused on delivering exceptional care for patients.
Visit AGPA’s website for more information.
