Which Professional Bodies Represent General Practitioners in Australia?

Posted on: 19 November 2018

General practitioner jobs in Australia do not differ very much from the sort of role you would find in much of the rest of the Western world, particularly in the UK where the similarities are often striking. That said, doctors working in GP jobs in the country are represented in very different ways due to the number of professional bodies there are in the country. If you want to find out more about these organisations, then read on. 

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

Better known as the RACGP, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners deals with many measures which help to set the standards for clinical practice in the country as well as quality levels in medical education and training. It is focused on creating a person-centred level of care among GPs which continues to build a comprehensive and coordinated healthcare approach within general practice work. Founded in 1958, the RACGP is based in Melbourne. Students may apply to join. Fellows, members and associates are all made up of qualified doctors, however.

The Australian Medical Association

Although it handles a wider remit of healthcare professions than the RACGP, the Australian Medical Association, or AMA, has a body specifically designed to speak up for the needs of general practitioners. The AMA Council of General Practice runs a tracking service to help ensure that doctors take part in continuing professional development events and are updated on hot issues that affect general practitioners. Aside from the AMA's national conference, the council has its own meetings which are attended in great numbers with submissions from a wide variety of practitioners.

The Australian General Practice Alliance

Otherwise known as AGPA, the Australian General Practice Alliance was formed to offer doctors working in general practice an independent voice. That said, AGPA often works alongside both AMA and RACGP to promote certain issues within the healthcare industry. According to AGPA, the organisation differentiates itself from large corporates by not needing to meet any financial requirements which allow it to speak its mind freely.

The Rural Doctors Association of Australia

This association is a national organisation which represents general practitioners who work in some of the more remote parts of the country with a specific focus on their needs. This is an umbrella organisation which coordinates the efforts of state-led rural doctors associations. As well as providing medico-political advocacy, the association carries out lots of work in the field of ongoing GP training.

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