The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) congratulates GP members on receiving Queen’s Birthday honours recognising their outstanding service and contributions to Australia.
Some 10 GPs have been recognised in the Queen’s birthday 2022 Honours List including well-known RACGP members, GP advocate Associate Professor Chris Hogan, Dr Sunday Adebiyi OAM, Dr Stephanos Herodotou OAM, Dr Peter McGeoch OAM, and Dr Peter Heysen AM.
RACGP President Adj. Professor Karen Price congratulated GPs who received Queens’s Birthday Honours.
“I want to recognise the hard work and contributions of GPs across Australia on this day,” she said.
“The past few years have been incredibly challenging. We’ve dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic, rolling out Australia’s largest vaccination program, managing COVID positive patients in the community, and the mental health toll of the pandemic, and all the while maintaining usual care for patients.
“I know it has been tough, and I have been proud to see GPs across the nation face all these challenges head on, adapt swiftly to the changes, and go above and beyond to keep our communities safe and healthy.”
The RACGP President said long-term reforms were needed to ensure the future of general practice, and patient care.
“The RACGP is all too aware that our health system is under enormous strain and that more support is needed urgently, particularly for general practice,” she said.
“This is not only due to the impacts of the pandemic, but also because Australia is grappling with rising rates of chronic disease, an ageing population, and a mental health crisis.
“Everyone deserves access to high-quality GP care regardless of their postcode or income. Lack of access to primary care leads to poorer health outcomes for patients, and increasing emergency department pressures, as we are seeing across the country.
“But on the other hand, we know investment in general practice will improve patient health and wellbeing and result in efficiencies for the whole health system. The solution is right in front of us, the government needs to act now.”
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