Let’s leave any preconceptions at the door and at the same time ignore the medical press that promotes the rhetoric that general practice is a blighted profession. Is it possible that we are partly to blame for the disinterest new graduates feel towards general practice? As GPs we are experts in chronic and complex disease management in the context of a long term doctor-patient relationship, yet our long term medicopolitical focus is on the Medicare rebate for a 21 minute consultation. In this tenth year of BFD, which at its heart is around improving the utilisation of the MBS, is it now time to recognise that GPs are currently well funded as a profession, provided practice systems are in place and a wide variety of item numbers are utilised on a day to day basis? Come and join Ian as he talks about thriving in general practice.
