Introduction

As a doctor practising in Australia, each year you are required to allocate CPD time to Addressing Health Inequities according to your scope of practice and role(s). Health inequities are systematic differences in the opportunities that population sub-groups experience to achieve optimal health, leading to unfair and avoidable differences in health outcomes.

Good medical practice: a code of conduct for doctors in Australia (the code) states that: 

Good medical practice involves using your expertise and influence to identify and address healthcare inequity and protect and advance the health and wellbeing of individual patients, communities and populations.

You could explore clinical considerations for priority populations or examine ways to improve their access to care. These population sub-groups include:

• socially disadvantaged individuals and families (experiencing unstable housing and income)
• socially isolated individuals (including older people and those living in rural and remote locations)
• individuals (including children) who have been exposed to intimate partner / family violence
• individuals with disabilities, low health literacy, or severe mental health issues
• substance-using individuals and their families
• LGBTIQ+ individuals
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse communities (for activity recommendations see Culturally Safe Practice CPD solution).

Getting started

When planning your annual CPD we suggest that you start with the Good Medical Practice: A code of conduct for doctors in Australia (the code). The code describes what is expected of all doctors registered to practise medicine in Australia.¹

You determine your priorities and CPD hours, however, you must do at least one activity each year relating to Health Inequities. Completing the reflection as outlined in your annual Professional Development Plan (PDP) will help you meet this requirement. To complete your PDP, login to myCPD home and open the PDP tool.

This seminal AFP article Health Inequities in General Practice is as relevant to general practice today as when it was written. Reading this article and reflecting on its themes will help you meet this program-level requirement.

How do I get more information about this program-level requirement?

• Contact your local CPD team
• Contact the RACGP’s rural faculty
• Connect with one of the RACGP’s specific interest groups
• The RACGP’s evidence-based resources, guidelines and standards are developed by members. To get involved, use the nomination process to participate on one of the RACGP’s advisory committees.

RACGP’s recommended activities

This document provides links to RACGP CPD approved activities and other suggested options to support your approach to Health Inequities. Some activities can be completed on your own, whilst others are better suited to group CPD.

This includes:

• 24 RACGP approved activities across all three activity types
• Six RACGP webinars you can watch on-demand for Educational Activities (EA) CPD
• Join one of six specific interest groups for peer connection and CPD educational activities
• A recommended reading list of clinical guidelines for Educational Activities (EA) CPD
• 22 self-directed Reviewing Performance (RP) or Measuring Outcomes (MO) CPD activities
• A case with self-directed discussion prompts for Educational Activities (EA) and Reviewing Performance (RP) CPD