The RACGP is pleased that the Scrap the Cap campaign, run by the Scrap the Cap Alliance, has received the national prize for ‘best government relations campaign: digital and new media’ at the inaugural government relations awards 2013.
The awards ceremony, held last week in Canberra by the public and government relations conference company Frocomm, was an opportunity to recognise excellence in government relations campaigns.
The RACGP, alongside other Australian peak medical bodies in United General Practice Australia (UGPA)*, was a founding member of the Scrap the Cap Alliance that was formed in May this year to oppose the previous Government’s plan to cap work-related self-education expenses to $2 000, a move that would greatly disadvantage the general practice profession.
The Scrap the Cap Alliance called on GPs to help lobby the Government to support, rather than penalise, essential self education for GPs.
RACGP President, Dr Liz Marles, said the award was testament to the efforts of UGPA who united to advocate and speak with one voice on behalf of the general practice profession.
“The RACGP is proud of its involvement in establishing the Scrap the Cap campaign and that the efforts of all involved have been recognised publically.
"Training, education and ongoing CPD are fundamental components to ensuring Australia continues to lead the world in delivering the best health outcomes for all Australians and the Scrap the Cap campaign unified the profession on this pertinent issue,” said Dr Marles.
The campaign, which began with an online petition and website lobbying against the proposed cap became the voice of more than 1.6 million Australians across a range of over 70 professional organisations including nurses, allied health professionals, universities, engineers, accountants, lawyers, veterinarians, and small business operators.
The RACGP hailed the federal government’s move to permanently abolish the proposed cap earlier this month, and is proud of its involvement in reversing this decision and to have its efforts publicly acknowledged through this award.
* UGPA comprises the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), the Australian Medical Association (AMA), the Australian Medicare Local Alliance (AMLA), the Australian General Practice Network (AGPN), General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA), the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM), and the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA).