Annual Report - Adelaide to Outback GP Training Program

Board Sub-Committees
Community Stakeholder
Reference Group (CSRG)
Adelaide to Outback’s Community
Stakeholder Reference Group (CSRG)
is comprised of representatives of
a number of significant stakeholder
groups, including Consumers, GP
Colleges and Associations, Universities,
Workforce Agencies, State and
Federal Governments, GP Supervisors,
Registrars, Doctors in Training, Medical
Students, and Practice Managers.
CSRG’s role is to discuss and debate
issues of current relevance and to report
its discussions to the board of AOGP.
The 2010 meeting of the CSRG was held
on 22nd October at the National Wine
Centre. Prior to the meeting, members
had been asked to consider the following
questions in relation to the Federal
Government’s proposed Primary Health
Care reforms:
• What do you see as the key
factors, which will impact upon your
organisation under the proposed
Primary Health Care Reform?
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• How do you see your organisation’s
stakeholder relationship with AOGP
changing in the proposed new
environment?
• How do you see AOGP positioning
itself in the proposed new Primary
Health Care environment?
Members of the group each presented
their organisation’s views in relations to
these questions and it was interesting
to observe the conformity of views from
people representing different aspects of
the health system. There was, however,
general agreement that the detail of the
proposed reforms has not been well
communicated to relevant stakeholders.
GP Registrars, Doctors in Training and
Medical Students in particular feel that
they are not being adequately informed or
involved in discussions.
Members agreed that the proposed health
care reforms present opportunities as
well as challenges for GPs and patients.
The overriding view was that no matter
how the system changes, old fashioned
values must remain paramount – the
privacy and confidentiality of the doctorpatient
relationship and comprehensive
whole patient care given by GPs to their
patients. More than ever we need an
emphasis on valuing people, whether
they be teachers, students, clinicians,
allied health workers, other members of
the practice team, or patients from every
background and ability. Under the new
Primary Health Care reforms, AOGP must
strive to enable GPs to thrive as providers
of whole patient care in a system that
fosters mutual respect and caring.
Adelaide to Outback’s education of
GPs must include all aspects important
to delivering excellence in patient care.
As well as learning the diagnostic and
procedural skills of a good GP, education
must include team work, relationship
building, practice management, finance,
and IT skills. GPs must be taught the
importance of valuing all people and
how to be inclusive of all members of the
treating team and all patients. Knowledge
and skills in these areas can not be
assumed. There must also be a focus
on chronic disease management and the
important role of the generalist. AOGP
must work to ensure that changes in the
Primary Health Care system facilitate
comprehensive education.