Newsletter: August 2017

My only overseas trip since the last news was to the excellent WONCA Europe conference in Prague, and I am about to make trips to Africa – to Tanzania, and to the regional conference in South Africa. In Tanzania, I shall be the guest of one of our ‘organisations in collaboration’, the International Federation of Medical Students Association (IFMSA), with whom we want to work closely to promote the profile of family medicine.

Mi único viaje al extranjero desde la última vez que escribí fue el que hice para asistir al excelente Congreso de WONCA Europa en Praga, y en ese momento estoy a punto de hacer una serie de viajes en África, Tanzania, y al Congreso regional en Sud África. En Tanzania, voy a ser una invitada de una de nuestras “organizaciones colaboradoras”, la Federación Internacional de Estudiantes de Medicina (IFMSA),

Mon seul voyage à l’étranger depuis la dernière lettre a été à Prague pour l’excellente conférence européenne de WONCA. Je m’apprête maintenant à voyager en Afrique -en Tanzanie, et également à la conférence régionale en Afrique du Sud.

The CEO reflects on a "quiet" time of year.. conferences just held, more to come and the 2017 Annual report in final preparation. And WONCA signs an MOU with IPCRG. See what Garth Manning has to say.

At the recent WONCA Europe conference in Prague, WONCA President, Professor Amanda Howe, signed a Memorandum of Understanding jointly with Dr Jaime Correia de Sousa, President of the International Primary Care Respiratory Group.

It is a great pleasure and honor for The Japan Primary Care Association (JPCA) to be a host organization for the WONCA APR Conference 2019, which will be held in Kyoto from May 15 to 18, 2019.

Greetings from the Himalayan Kingdom. After our devastating earthquake we are trying our best to rebuild ourselves. We would like to thank our well wishers and assure them that in spite of the recent past we now hosting a WONCA South Asia region conference in Kathmandu, on November 25 and 26, 2017.

Register by August 31 to Secure Super Early Bird Rate for WONCA World Rural Health Conference 2018. USD450 for WONCA Direct members and USD100 for Young Doctors.

The College of Family Physicians in Poland is pleased to invite all general practitioners to the 23rd WONCA Europe Conference 2018 in Krakow.

Se necesita otros tipos de evidencia para poder evaluar el impacto de las nuevas contribuciones en la Atención Primaria y los médicos de familia.

A different kind of evidence is needed to evaluate the impact of new inputs through primary health care and – in our specific area of interest – family doctors. Prof Felicity Goodyear-Smith (Chair WONCA Working Party on Research) and Prof Amanda Howe (WONCA President) write this month's policy bite.

The WONCA Europe 2017 conference seemed a very favorable setting to promote the issue of Planetary Health and increase the general awareness for it. Some of this happened, but the potential is much greater.

Information on high quality, freely accessible online resources, with a focus on common mental health problems, aimed primarily (but not exclusively) at family doctors. This list has been collated by members of the WONCA Working Party on Mental Health

Dr John Wynn-Jones, Chair of RuralWONCA (WONCA Working Party on Rural Practice) summarises the annual report of the Working Party: It has been particularly busy year with two conferences within six months; at the World WONCA Conference in Rio de Janeiro (November 2016) and at our own 14th WONCA World Rural Health Conference in Cairns Australia (April 2017). Both were highly successful and it was valuable for our council to meet on both occasions.

Register by August 31 to Secure Super Early Bird Rate for WONCA World Rural Health Conference 2018. USD450 for WONCA Direct members and USD100 for Young Doctors.

Prof Val Wass, Chair of the WONCA Working Party on Education writes: Workshops at conferences and articles from "Education for Primary Care".

This paper explores ways peer group supervision in a long term well established group of general practitioners can improve communication and patient centred care at the same time maintaining enthusiasm and preventing burn out. In Denmark group supervision for general practitioners is an established part of continuing professional development.

In October 2016, WONCA World Council approved the creation of the Special Interest Group on Quaternary Prevention and Overmedicalization. Our Biennium Plan 2017-2018 was submitted on February 2017. Therefore, this report refers to a short period and we are working towards these objectives.

Ana Nunes Barata, WONCA executive's representative for Young Doctors is also interested in Family Violence. Here she writes for the WONCA SIG on Family Violence.

Member organizations of the North American region of WONCA remained strong and active in the past year. All held successful and well-attended meetings in 2017.

It is a great pleasure and honor for The Japan Primary Care Association (JPCA) to be a host organization for the WONCA APR Conference 2019, which will be held in Kyoto from May 15 to 18, 2019.

Greetings from the Himalayan Kingdom. After our devastating earthquake we are trying our best to rebuild ourselves. We would like to thank our well wishers and assure them that in spite of the recent past we now hosting a WONCA South Asia region conference in Kathmandu, on November 25 and 26, 2017.

WONCA Europe developed and endorsed the following statement at their recent Prague Conference : Growing together in diversity for the benefit of all Europeans

At the recent WONCA Europe conference in Prague, WONCA President, Professor Amanda Howe, signed a Memorandum of Understanding jointly with Dr Jaime Correia de Sousa, President of the International Primary Care Respiratory Group.

Michael Harris, EGPRN Educational Committee writes: The European GP Research Network (EGPRN) is now offering Fellowship mentoring to young EGPRN members.

Information on high quality, freely accessible online resources, with a focus on common mental health problems, aimed primarily (but not exclusively) at family doctors. This list has been collated by members of the WONCA Working Party on Mental Health

Leadership in Family Medicine: From the Personal to the Policy Level is a compilation of chapters from CRC Press texts, selected by Professor Amanda Howe, President, World Organisation of Family Doctors (WONCA), with an Introduction written by Professor Howe giving her insight into each chapter.

This paper explores ways peer group supervision in a long term well established group of general practitioners can improve communication and patient centred care at the same time maintaining enthusiasm and preventing burn out. In Denmark group supervision for general practitioners is an established part of continuing professional development.