Family Doctors acknowledged internationally as foundation of healthy communities
19 May 2015
Today will see Australian GPs and their international counterparts pause to celebrate family doctors as the driving force behind healthy communities on World Family Doctor Day.
To celebrate, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) launched a social media campaign asking GPs to reflect upon why they chose general practice and share their thoughts online using the dedicated hashtag #IchoseGP.
RACGP President Dr Frank R Jones said today is an important day for Governments, patients and healthcare professionals everywhere to acknowledge the vital work of GPs all around the world.
“Family Doctors are there to support every Australian’s physical and mental wellbeing; to assist patients when they are ill and also to ensure healthy patients stay healthy,” Dr Jones said.
“Every week in Australia around two and a half million people visit their GP and at each of those consultations the GP treats the whole person ensuring preventative measures are in place to safeguard their future health.”
GPs play an important role in the communities they serve, building strong relationships with their patients and treating entire families including children and grandchildren.
“It is this continuity of care that sets general practice apart from every other medical specialty. We have a conversation with our patients in additional to a consultation and get to know their medical history.”
Dr Jones said general practice is a medical specialty that has long been under-valued as the most critical component of an effective healthcare system, promoting prevention and early intervention.
“While today is a day for celebration, it is important to reflect upon and acknowledge the struggles faced by our international colleagues on a daily basis.
“Australia was one of the last developed countries to recognise general practice as a specialty in in its own right and so many of our international counterparts are still struggling to achieve the same respect,” Dr Jones said.
The RACGP encourages all GPs to visit the RACGP website and join in the celebration by sharing why they chose general practice on social media.
World Family Doctors’ Day is an initiative of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA), a not-for-profit organisation that represents 131 member organisations – including the RACGP – in 131 countries and territories.
The RACGP is the peak professional body for general practice in Australia representing more than 30,000 members working in or towards a career in general practice.