This weekend (Friday 22 – Sunday 24 July) more than 500 general practitioners and rural hospital doctors will arrive in Christchurch to attend GP22: the Conference for General Practice.
The theme of this year’s conference is:
Heart, mind spirit: The strength in community medicine
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitahi
(My strength is not that of a single warrior, but that of many)
With the recent changes to the health sector, along with the relentless pressures being faced by the general practice and rural hospital medicine workforce, this conference is all about making a statement about the dedication and importance of our workforce – and discussing practical changes about how to best address issues such as GP burnout, workforce shortages and encourage more medical students to choose this medical speciality. College President Dr Samantha Murton says, “This weekend is an important date in our calendar and is a prime opportunity for our members to discuss how to ensure the voices of general practice and rural hospital medicine are heard as we enter a new era of healthcare in New Zealand.
“The specialist medical knowledge we hold, along with an in-depth understanding of the health of our communities means we are a crucial part of the healthcare puzzle, and we have a lot of valuable insight to bring to the table.
“We’re looking forward to hearing from the Minister of Health about his vision for the future of primary healthcare as well as having the leaders of Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) and Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority) join us for panel discussions and to share their views on a variety of topics,” says Dr Murton.
Delegates will be treated to keynote speeches from outgoing Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield, John Campbell, one of New Zealand’s most well-known and respected broadcasters, epidemiologist Professor Rod Jackson, and health psychologist Professor Keith Petrie.
Conference delegates can also hear from their peers who will be presenting research that benefits the general practice and rural hospital medicine workforce, and speaking on panels.
The College’s Fellowship and Awards ceremony acknowledging the achievements of members will be held on Saturday 23 July.
For more information visit the conference website: www.generalpractice.org.nz