{"id":1013,"date":"2025-09-23T09:24:06","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T23:24:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ruralhealth.org.au\/partyline\/?p=1013"},"modified":"2026-05-04T12:43:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T02:43:08","slug":"who-looks-after-the-health-of-rural-gps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ruralhealth.org.au\/partyline\/who-looks-after-the-health-of-rural-gps\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Looks After the Health of Rural GPs?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Rural GPs are the backbone of their communities, providing cradle-to-grave primary care, supporting hospitals, responding to emergencies, and often doing so with little backup. But one question remains too often unspoken: Who looks after the health of rural GPs?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In October 2024, RACGP Rural hosted a webinar titled \u201cWho Looks After the Health of Rural GPs?\u201d<\/em> to explore this very issue. As the presenter, I led a discussion that acknowledged what many of us already know but don\u2019t often say out loud- rural GPs are burning out and it\u2019s not sustainable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A culture of silent endurance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rural doctors often carry a culture of stoicism. We keep going even when we\u2019re unwell, tired, or overwhelmed. Many of us work in solo or small group practices, with limited cover, few opportunities for debriefing, and no time to be unwell. Seeking help for ourselves can feel like letting others down, our patients, our colleagues, or our communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But ignoring our own wellbeing has real consequences. We see GPs leave rural practice altogether. We see illness, mental distress, and exhaustion. And ultimately, we see communities lose access to essential care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting a different conversation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The webinar brought together GPs from across the country to reflect, share, and explore what could be done differently. Importantly, we shifted the focus from individual self-care to shared responsibility, recognising that looking after rural GPs must be embedded into the systems we work in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We discussed practical ideas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n