They say a week is a long time in politics, and the past couple of weeks in Tasmania have certainly demonstrated that! With an election now called for Saturday 19 July, we’ve already started refining our state election priorities to ensure general practice remains at the forefront of primary care delivery in Tasmania.
Despite the political turbulence, the past month has been a rewarding one. I had the pleasure of joining a group of Tasmanian delegates, including many RACGP staff, at the Practice Owners Conference in Melbourne. It was an absolute buzz to connect with GPs and innovators from across the country to explore the future of general practice in Australia, and how we can adapt and prepare for what lies ahead.
Back in Tasmania, I was delighted to be joined by our indefatigable Rural Chair, Associate Professor Michael Clements, as we visited Beaconsfield Medical Centre, recently named Tasmanian Practice of the Year 2024. We then met with a group of enthusiastic medical students in Launceston to discuss the many opportunities in rural general practice, before Michael travelled north to visit Lizzie Shires at her Patrick Street Clinic in Ulverstone, Umina Park Nursing Home, and the Rural Clinical School in Burnie.
We capped off the week in Devonport at the Tasmanian Rural Health Conference 2025. With key stakeholders, politicians, and National Rural Health Commissioner Jenny May in attendance, the conference was a great opportunity to connect with peers from across the state and reflect on the shared challenges and strengths of our diverse regions. It remains an annual highlight, and a real credit to RDAT for bringing it all together.
A standout moment of the weekend was the presentation of the annual awards to some of our most outstanding rural colleagues. As the dust settles on the recent Federal Election and we prepare to vote again at a state level, I encourage you to nominate an exceptional colleague, supervisor, or registrar in your region for our annual RACGP awards. There’s nothing quite like being recognised by your peers.
Toby Gardner
Chair, RACGP Tasmania