Climate change is our problem, and healthcare professionals need to own it, says this candidate for the college presidency.
Dr Kate Wylie makes no bones about the issue at the heart of her campaign for the RACGP top job.
“Climate change is the greatest health problem of our time,” she says. “As health practitioners, climate change is our challenge and we need to acknowledge it, face it and prepare. Every problem we have is being exacerbated by it and to not address the climate health emergency would be a failure of our duty of care.”
The question, of course, is how to go about it.
“A college I lead would work in partnership with the other medical colleges to create a climate-ready and climate-friendly Australian healthcare system,” she says. “General practice has a lower carbon footprint than the hospital system, so supporting us is a win for our patients, a win for the economy and a win for our country’s carbon budget.”
Dr Wylie – who is particularly interested in mental health, women’s health and transgender medicine – says that for her, being a GP is a matter of pride.
“I find the ‘just a GP’ narrative to be incredibly insulting,” she says. “We have a depth and breadth of knowledge that no other profession can lay claim to – and I think we should stand up for ourselves with that.
“My vision sees general practice acknowledged as the foundation of our healthcare system and receiving the governmental support that we need to protect the health of Australians.
“As president, I would advocate with strength and integrity, knowing that we save our government money and that a well funded and well resourced general practice workforce keeps people well and out of hospital.”
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