BEAUDESERT GP and obstetrician Dr Michael Rice is the new president of the Rural Doctors Association of Queensland.
A principal director of the Beaudesert Medical Centre and a driving force behind the reopening of Beaudesert Hospital’s maternity unit in 2012, Dr Rice becomes the Scenic Rim’s first president of RDAQ since its inception in 1989.
He formally took over the RDAQ reins at the organisation’s conference and annual general meeting in Caloundra over the weekend.
He replaces Cooktown medical superintendent Dr Natasha Coventry and will mentor Proserpine GP Konrad Kangru, was elected to lead RDAQ from 2017-18.
In his first address as president to members of RDAQ – the State’s peak advocacy group for rural and remote doctors – Dr Rice said he would make a special effort over the next 12 months to encourage more rural GPs in private practice to join the organisation.
As for what direction he plans to steer the RDAQ over the next year?
“I’m a firm believer in not fixing things that aren’t broken,” he said.
But he does plan to make an extra effort to engage more with doctors in private general practice.
“Rural Queensland still has a shortage in private general practice,” he said.
“The bush needs more GPs and RDAQ is uniquely placed to make sure they are supported. It is a win-win because we can add value to their working experience while strengthening our organisation.”
Dr Rice said it was clear from the current national campaign over the Medicare rebate freeze that private rural GPs faced huge challenges in delivering the highest quality health care to their communities without being limited by social or economic circumstances.
“And even those who work purely in the public sector have an interest in this, because when patients are doing it tough in the private sector, it spills over and affects them,” he said.
Dr Rice said he looked forward to working with the Rural Doctors Association of Australia and its president - Dr Ewen McPhee, a GP-obstetrician based at Emerald - on the campaign to keep country general practices sustainable.
“Policies like the rebate freeze strike at the heart of the viability of general practice and have the worst affect on the poorest and most disadvantaged communities in Queensland,” he said.
Dr Rice thanked his predecessor for her outstanding contribution and the RDAQ’s growing alumni of past presidents.
“I’ve said many times that everybody you need to know in rural medicine in Queensland is in this room - most of us talking from the same page,” he said.
