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GP & PHC 2007: Working together

23-25 May 2007
2007 GP & PHC Research Conference
Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre

CONFERENCE REVIEW

It's June 2007 and we have already seen the annual GP & PHC Research Conference come and go. This year's conference theme Working together definitely lived up to its name. All who attended were busily engaged in working together and collaborating activities at every possible opportunity. The PHC RIS team responsible for making it all happen behind the scenes during these three days were definitely demonstrating this in living colour. Almost 400 delegates consisting of researchers, decision makers, policy makers, practitioners and consumers, all came from far and wide to listen, discuss, network and socialise.

The Sydney Convention Exhibition Centre was humming with activity. The program was value packed specifically designed to cater for the diversity of delegates attending. It comprised six pre-conference workshops, 135 paper presentations and 64 poster displays, four plenary sessions, three breakfast sessions, many lunchtime meetings, three major social engagements, and countless impromptu meetings. The venue and its surroundings offered inspiration in abundance.

Inspiration also came from our highly esteemed international guest speakers, Prof Chris van Weel, (Professor and Head of Department for General Practice/Family medicine, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands); Prof Nicky Britten, (Professor of Applied Health Care Research and Deputy Director of the Institute of Clinical Education, the Peninsula Postgraduate Health Institute, UK); and Prof Bonnie Sibbald (Deputy Director of the National Primary Care Research and Development Centre University of Manchester). They all challenged and actively engaged all delegates throughout the three days.

AAAGP and APHCRI each held their own plenary session. The two distinguished papers were presented in the AAAGP plenary. And APHCRI ran their panel discussion facilitated by Norman Swan. Others on the panel included Mr Richard Eccles, First Assistant Secretary, Mira Pincott, Bonnie Sibbald, John Wakerman, Chris Pearce, and Nicholas Glasgow. The final plenary was closed by the Honourable Mr Tony Abbott, Minister for Health.

The Welcome Reception on Tuesday evening proved to be the ideal ice breaker to kick off the conference. The PHC RIS Conference dinner cruise was an outstanding event attended by many delegates who thoroughly enjoyed themselves with the spectacular sights of Sydney Harbour, great food and wine, and fabulous live music. Also an overwhelming number of delegates attended the Farewell drinks on the Friday evening at the conclusion of the conference.

We would like to sincerely thank everyone who has been involved in this year's conference and for their contributions which have been instrumental in the success of this conference. Special thanks goes to the conference advisory and scientific committees, invited speakers, paper and poster presenters, session chairs, workshop facilitators, sponsors, exhibitors, registrants, Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre staff, Conference Logistics and PHC RIS. In addition, we would like to express our appreciation and gratitude to the Primary Care Division of the Australian Government of Health and Ageing, without whose generous financial contribution the conference would not be possible.

Further information regarding the conference, paper and poster abstracts, plenary and paper presentations, photos and/or PHC RIS can be accessed through our website www.phcris.org.au/conference/2007

PRIZE WINNERS

PHC RIS Prize draw
Dr Doug Boyle – who received an eTG complete 12 month subscription sponsored by Therapeutic Guidelines

AAAGP First time presenter prize
Yolanda Schweizer – The value of the in-depth interview in measuring the outcomes of rural medical education and training - received a book voucher valued at $250.

NICS – Evidence into Action Prize
Jill Thistlethwaite, Rebecca Stewart and Rebecca Evans – Breast examination and Pelvic examination of asymptomatic women – evidence and clinical practice – received $1000.

PHC RIS Best Poster
Dr Christopher Paul Burgess – The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders adult health check – towards improving it for remote practitioners - $100 Ramsay book voucher.