Our national survey revealed what GPs want most in the next College president. To help you decide who’s best for the job, we asked each candidate to make their case for how they measure up against the three most important factors.
According to Healthed’s national survey of almost 1500 GPs, three key attributes topped the list of what GPs want in their next president.
You can read the full survey results here to see how you and your colleagues ranked the other attributes that candidates had highlighted in their CVs.
It’s all well and good to know what GPs are looking for – but it can be harder to tease out the skills and experience each candidate has in these domains. Below, each of the five doctors running for College president tell us their arguments for how they fulfil each of the top 3 criteria, so you can make an informed vote.
We asked each candidate to provide a written response to each of the top three attributes that GPs ranked as most important. We’ve only made minor edits to improve clarity, so that you can get an accurate feeling for their communication styles. Their responses are published below in the order that we received them. We hope this helps you make an evidence-based decision on which candidate best reflects the criteria you value most – we’ll let you be the judge of that.
Without further ado, here are the candidates responses (and most importantly, don’t forget to vote – the election closes at noon AEST on Thursday. )
My key academic background includes an Economics Degree, Masters in Health Management and Fellowship with RACMA with experience in military then as a medical director in regional hospitals.
I have worked as a rural generalist and medical educator in rural and remote towns and now my focus is as a practice owner of four practices employing 67 people including IMGs, RACGP and ACRRM trainees which I supervise and teach regularly.
I live and breathe the day-to-day financial and red tape challenges GPs face in the broken funding system advocating for our patients and I know how the government reform agenda would impact our work and relationship with the patients.
I have had formal leadership, media and negotiation training in my roles in Defence and for my FRACMA. I was Board Chair of Northern Australia Primary Health Limited, a NFP that evolved from Medicare Locals until 2023.
As a practice owner who is about to open my fifth practice and who does rural and remote outreach I know how to negotiate the business of general practice and bring in government and NGO stakeholders to the table for tailored community outcomes.
I made a point of visiting all states and territories as Rural Chair, including remote, small and regional communities. The most effective lobbying comes from the words and the stories of the GPs I have met with and I know it is these stories that cut through with politicians and media and not numbers on a spreadsheet.
My role as Rural Chair has meant I have been the voice for rural issues in Senate hearings, in Parliament, in the media and with stakeholders for over four years.
I have been going to Parliament for the last five years regularly with my Orange Pass freely knocking on doors, using our friendly MPs in both sides of Parliament and both houses and I know what interests them, what arguments land and how to get their agreement. I was on the team pitching the triple bulk billing incentive in Canberra which has worked, and in Canberra after the Federal Budget this year I pitched GP registrar payments to the opposition which Dutton then included in his budget reply.
I started in RACGP Queensland council eight years ago then became deputy chair before moving to RACGP Rural where my passion lay. I have made countless Senate submissions on behalf of RACGP and helped bring in the FRACGP-RG and the partnership with RANZCA. I have earnt the trust of the Board who elected me to prosecute our national agenda as the VP.
My role as vice-president in RACGP has meant I am the Board lead for advocacy. This means I have been working with focus groups and expert committees in commissioning economic briefs and modelling, but more importantly converting our strategy into the words seen in the media and with politicians.
I know how to work within RACGP, with Parliament, the Department of Health and with the media. I know what works and we need to get started straight away.
Dr Monirul HaqueI’m a grassroots GP with over 20 years of experience, currently running my own clinic of which I am also the director. My career has taken me to diverse locations, including Nambour Hospital on the Sunshine Coast, rural Katherine and Mt Isa in Queensland, and regional Gisborne in Victoria. Before settling in Australia, I gained experience working across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Additionally, I’m an active member of the GP clinic owners committee and support various community health and wellbeing events. I also had future leadership training by the RACGP this year and have been mentored by the present president Dr Nicole Higgins and many others, including Professor Chris Hogan and Dr Srishti Dutta.
I have been advocating on missed opportunities to train Australian resident or citizen OTD/IMGs in metropolitan cities in Australia. There is a shortage of supervisors in rural and remote Australia, so I proposed that IMGs complete two years GP training in cities or urban practices before going to rural areas for fellowship training. I submitted this change to the Victorian RACGP council and they have approved it. Currently we are waiting to obtain RACGP policy making departments approval before further action by different department stakeholders. The relevant ministers are aware of this.
I have also been advocating to include a family medicine department with RACGP and it was accepted in the RACGP convocation of 2022. I will be continuing to advocate and lobby to rename the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners to “Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and Family Medicine” so it includes family medicine. Younger GPs seek recognition as certified Family Physicians by RACGP and extended skills in family medicine post FRACGP and FM, so this renaming would provide satisfaction and promote professional growth.
I am also advocating and lobbying to start point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) in general practice and family medicine. I have previously lobbied, alongside my colleagues, with the government to get special item numbers for mental health, resulting in an item number for mental health care plan 2715 and review of mental health care plan 2712.
I completed my Master’s in Family Medicine at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, where I received training in governance as part of the MFamMed program. I served as a director with the Geelong GP Division (now known as PHN), participating in board activities and governance. Additionally, I was involved with the Barwon Health Library Committee, now part of the University College Hospital Geelong in collaboration with Deakin University.
Currently, I am an elected member of the RACGP Victoria Council, where I actively engage in various general practice issues and governance matters. I bring skills in diplomacy and negotiation, understanding that successful engagement involves working with RACGP members, the public and politicians. I am also aware of the complexities and potential conflicts of interest that can arise in governance.
Dr Alan BradleyI think experience is good, but what is required is effectiveness. The most important issue facing General Practice right now is the threat of scope creep, and I don’t think additional governance experience on the board is what is most needed in that fight.
What I bring is:
There are 14 others on the RACGP board with extensive experience. No-one will be able to win the fight against scope creep alone. I bring a set of skills which are more complementary to the RACGP board, and our advocacy efforts, than simply additional governance experience.
The truth is that the next RACGP President is just one of 15 on the board, and it is that team which will win or lose together, not the President alone. Having 15 fullbacks on a team is not effective; what is needed is balance. That is what I bring.
Dr Palmyra De BanksI have close to 20 years’ experience as a General Practitioner across the United Kingdom and Australia. I became a practice owner (partner) in London in 2006 and was a representative on the Local Medical Council from 2007.
Now, I proudly represent the large cohort of International Medical Graduates in Australia, having had the experience of emigrating. I understand how to transition clinical skillsets from one health system to another.
I am passionate about Medical Education, having supervised both registrars, medical students and other International Medical Graduates. I started examining for the RACGP and joined the Vic Faculty in 2017 which I have continued to represent since. I have joined the IMG committee of Victoria and I am a AMA Vic representative as well. I have completed a Masters in Health and Medical Law, from Melbourne Uni, in 2022 and am a Graduate of the Institute of Company Directors, GAICD.
I have been a Clinical Director and the Head of Performance at ForHealth Group for the last few years, overseeing 20 clinics in Victoria and 80 clinics nationally. I am on the Victorian advisory board of MIGA.
I have a passion for subspecialties in General Practice, with a keen interest in Women’s Health and Skin Cancer.
Over the years I have developed a deep expertise in people leadership, medicolegal, board membership and managing medical centres. The recent pandemic allowed me to demonstrate reactive and strategic planning and enhance leadership opportunities. I have both the qualifications and the experience of leadership as well as current clinical experience. This diverse background has equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities in general practice, allowing me to address the needs of a wide range of stakeholders effectively.
Throughout my career, I have actively engaged in negotiating and lobbying efforts to advance the interests of General Practice and improve patient care. Key examples of my experience include:
These experiences have honed my skills in negotiation and advocacy, enabling me to effectively represent the interests of general practitioners and contribute to meaningful improvements in healthcare policy.
I have been involved on the RACGP Victorian Faculty for 7 years, attending regular meetings and representing Victorian GPs to the board, helping to advocate for our profession and helping to shape the decisions. I have represented on a number of subcommittees/working groups, currently representing on the WorkSafe Victorian working group, am on the IMG committee (Vic), I represent the RACGP on the Patron Data Governance Committee (Melbourne Uni) and during COVID I represent on the Infection Prevention and Control Consultancy locally. I am regularly reviewing national and local strategy papers and policies as requested by the Victorian Faculty and feeding back suggestions and replies.
I am a strong advocate for General Practice at both state and national levels and have active involvement and leadership at both state and national levels.
Dr Michael WrightI am a second-generation GP with nearly 25 years clinical experience. I trained and worked in urban and rural Queensland and now live and work in Sydney. I’ve been a GP registrar, supervised medical students and registrars, and have been a practice owner with my father on the Gold Coast for nearly a decade. I have also lived in the UK for four years, including time working in the NHS.
I am a trained and experienced health economist, having completed a Master of Public Health and a PhD in health economics studying the value of continuity of care, while continuing in clinical practice. My ongoing research focuses on health policy and funding, where I’ve become an expert in the economics of general practice. My recent research areas include: health budget allocation to general practice, incidence of multiple practice attendance, the impact of the pandemic on GPs and our health system, and most recently the financial viability of general practice. I am a widely respected health systems leader, and regularly speak at national and international conferences and have over 40 peer-reviewed publications.
I’m also an experienced health system advocate. In my work as the Chief Medical Officer at Avant, Australia’s largest medical indemnity provider, I lead the advocacy education and research division representing the interests of more than 80,000 doctors and medical students in advocating for a stronger, safer and sustainable doctor-led health system. Over the last decade I’ve also held national and state representative roles with Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network and RACGP.
I have been appointed to multiple national health reform committees by successive health Ministers, both representing RACGP and as an independent expert. I have represented the college and other organisations in meetings with federal and state politicians at public hearings and with bureaucrats and regulators.
I’m an experienced negotiator with connections on both aisles of Parliament, and am respected for my comprehensive knowledge and ability to provide solutions to complex health problems. I have successfully lobbied and negotiated for RACGP and with Avant – one highlight being the successful advocacy for ongoing funding to telehealth services since the pandemic. I’m an experienced media representative having spoken on all mainstream commercial networks, appeared on radio and in national print – both health specific and general. I am known in Canberra already both in and outside of Parliament House.
I believe my combination of skills and experiences is what the RACGP and general practice need right now. We need a president who understands clinical practice, who has expertise in the economics of the health system, and who can effectively communicate with funders and policymakers in terms that they understand.
As National Chair of RACGP Funding and Health System Reform Expert Committee I have led a team of GP experts to provide ideas and policy advice to RACGP and board. I’ve worked closely with an internal college team including senior management to develop policy and negotiate with the Health Department and politicians. I’ve also worked on the RACGP advocacy plan, the vision for general practice and have led the growth of the Health of the Nation survey.
I’m very familiar with the Board and senior management and am keenly aware of the College’s strategic directions and governance structures. I have an excellent working relationship with the current board and the CEO, and see myself being able to rapidly lead change needed for our profession.
I am also Deputy Chair of NSW/ACT Faculty Council, a role I have had for the last five years. In addition to my RACGP roles, I chair my local PHN, and am CMO at Avant. I have chaired three boards, been a member of another and currently report to Board of Directors at Avant Mutual, and am applying for my FAICD later this year. I will step back from my Avant and PHN chairing role to focus on RACGP and its needs if I am successfully selected as the next RACGP President.
Now that you’ve read about how the candidates measure up against the criteria that Australian GPs say are most important, we hope you have enough information to confidently cast your vote. Voting closes at 12pm (mid-day) AEST on Thursday, 22 August. Here is the link to vote now.
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