History suggests the College boards tend to get bogged down by internal politics and bureaucratic ructions – seven CEOs in five years comes to mind — but when it comes to choosing the next president, GPs want an advocate and ‘dealmaker’ with broad clinical experience, first and foremost.

As for governance know-how, they’re divided.

Those are the take-aways from Healthed’s national survey of almost 1500 GPs who use RACGP as their CPD home. With the election underway and voting open until noon AEST on Thursday 22 August, we asked GPs what they see as the most important characteristics and competencies for the incoming College president.

Two attributes topped the list:

• Duration and range of experience as a GP, selected by 72% of respondents
• Demonstrated negotiating and lobbying skills, selected by 68% of respondents

RACGP governance experience came third, but precisely half of respondents chose it, suggesting GPs are split on its importance.

“While a lot of the governance experience would be a great benefit, lack of this experience should not stop an excellent candidate from standing for election,” one GP opined, adding that “too much governance experience could be a disadvantage as that means their GP experience would be less fresh.”

Meanwhile academic experience and other formal qualifications ranked much further down the list.

We also asked some high-profile GPs and insiders to weigh in, and they too, said communication skills, negotiating power and influence should be prioritised over other attributes.

Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, deputy chair of the Australian GP Alliance and former president of the AMA, said that while it’s important for the president to have some understanding of governance, that’s really the primary role of the CEO, while member-focused advocacy should be the president’s priority.

“I think that membership organisations have been sacrificed on the altar of corporate governance, which has been designed for multinational mega companies and is not fit for purpose for small membership-based organisations. And so we’ve lost the membership contact and rapport, and therefore, the fall-off of people participating and voting,” Dr Haikerwal said.

In his view, the ‘outward facing’ president, vice president and the board “need to be much more focused on member relationships and member aspirations and dealing with member concerns.”

“They’ve got to be personable. They’ve got to be able to listen. But they’ve also got to have their own ideas.”

“They’ve got to be able to stand up and take some heat— heat from members, but more particularly, heat from bureaucrats and heat from the political side, and indeed our other colleagues outside of general practice… and to advocate for general practitioners and their craft of general practice,” he added.

Advocating for the ‘silent majority’

Another highly placed insider who spoke to Healthed anonymously noted that the president’s success hinges on their ability to persuade.

“They are only one of 15 board members and they don’t have any special vote. And so the successful candidate really needs to be able to influence other board members.”

Furthermore, they said the crux of the role is to represent members’ views both externally to the government, media, public and broader health sector, and internally to the College itself and its management.

“From my perspective, the president needs to be able to show that they have the ability and the willingness to both canvas the views of members, and to listen to and act on the views that members provide, even if they conflict with their own views on those matters, and that’s always the difficult bit…”

“I think the president needs to cast a really wide net—wider than the usual suspects—particularly from those demographics that the college hasn’t traditionally done a great job of representing.”

Media savvy and a commitment to GPs best interests

Dr Joe Kosterich, a Perth GP and media commentator, says that to be effective, the next College president will need to think quickly on their feet, produce soundbites that cut through — and hold a core belief that most GPs are doing their best and don’t need to be even more controlled.

“Above all else,” Dr Kosterich continued, they need to be “looking at each issue that arises through a very simple lens – what is in the best interests of GPs…Will what is proposed either make their life easier or provide more money? If yes – support it. If no – oppose it.”

“The fundamental problem is that most of the GPs who run for president seem to have an academic bent and this quaint idea that to win arguments all you need is ‘evidence,’” Dr Kosterich says. “They seem to see it as more an academic than political/advocacy role.”

What your colleagues are saying…

“Needs to be an experienced GP not a waffly academic/administrator or lawyer. Needs get up and go, ready to fight for GP rights and conditions.”

“Track record of advocating for the individual practitioner. Cajones to stand up to the encroachment of the profession from competing interests unnecessarily burdensome bureaucracy.”

“Strong commitment to independent thinking and not being influenced by those industries or companies with pecuniary interests in harnessing the economic power of doctors.”

“Rural experience not imperative but desirable. Duration of experience as a GP is imperative.”

“Represent the silent majority of GPs.”

“They need to have the guts to speak up and be more dynamic.”

“Someone who can challenge APHRA /CPD big brothers.”

“Should have demonstrated years of experience as a GP and the ability to work with different groups of medical professionals.”

“Be able to represent GPs and their interests, fight for us, and help direct policy, especially when it directly impacts GPs and GP practices, as well as those of patients.”