In the reimagined newsletter, I wanted to talk about the remarkable and unsettling year we’ve had and the way the RACGP Victoria has risen to that challenge. The bushfires and a pandemic have pushed all of us.
This year, and especially the last few months, has been witness to one of the most significant transformations in how we function and deliver high-quality general practice in our communities. We’ve seen changes to our clinics and the spaces where we work – social distancing, barriers, separate treatment areas (even if the state and federal governments have been slow to act on personal protective equipment). We saw the toll it took on ourselves and our colleagues as we waited and hoped that the damage COVID-19 inflicted on communities and primary care doctors overseas wouldn’t be repeated here. We also saw our businesses and, sometimes, our salaries take a hit along with so many in our communities. This has been an extraordinary pressure on us all.
The RACGP acted early and set up information sources on the website; faculties found ways to communicate with the profession. In Victoria, after some unfortunate and unwarranted comments from our government, we’ve deepened our relationship with the Chief Health Officer's unit, and the Monday webinars have been successful (these are posted online). We’ve also been part of decision-making and advisory groups within DHHS. I'd like to thank the GPs who have participated, as they’ve taken on additional load and responsibility to help all of us.
Most importantly, the faculty staff have transitioned to working from home with a high degree of satisfaction. From the outside calling in, I forget that I’m talking to people at home. They transformed and got on with the job. The faculty staff – whom some of us know well and talk to often – are so much to do with why we’re members. They continue to do the fundamental work on ongoing education and exams, training and assessment. The faculty also has plans to reimagine its calendar of events as we emerge into a different world.
I especially want to thank Dr Maged Ghattas, the Assessment Panel Chair until last week. In that role, I've got to know him better and respect him even more. Whatever the clinical exam becomes, knowing Maged and all the other examiners in the faculty, I know the future of our profession is safe.
More change and disruption are still to come this year, but I believe we’ll be able to look back and see that general practice has met the challenge.
Dr Cameron Loy
Chair, RACGP Victoria