New president for College of GPs

MEDIA
STATEMENT

From the Chief Executive of the College, Karen Thomas

15 July 2005

New president for College of GPs

Dr Jonathan Fox is not likely to be all at sea leading the 3500 members of the College of GPs.

The Meadowbank (Auckland) GP took over today as president of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners from Dr Jim Vause, who had completed his two-year term at today’s AGM of the College. The AGM is held during the annual conference, this year at the Christchurch Convention Centre.

Dr Fox qualified at Guys Hospital, London in 1974. After house jobs at Guys he joined the Royal Navy and spent three years on sea going duties as a Submarine Medical Officer before completing his General Practice Vocational Training with a two-year tour in Hong Kong. He left the Navy with the rank of Surgeon Lt Commander.

One of his priorities will be forging effective and efficient relationships with other primary sector organisations.

“We also need to help DHBs understand the assistance quality primary care can provide, and to look at models of general practice that work within the current private business environment.

“That model does not look like changing for a long time,” he said.

A member of the Auckland Faculty Board, Dr Fox joined the RNZCGP Council in 1998 and was appointed Deputy President in 2004.

He is a former School Doctor at Rugby School and has been in general practice in Auckland - with wife Judith - since arriving from the UK in 1990. He has just finished his term as an elected member of the GP Council of the NZMA. A member of the Competence Advisory Team of the Medical Council he is an Independent Advisor to the ACC Treatment Injury Unit.

Jonathan Fox has had a life long passion for quality general practice, poetry and playing the piano. That interest in music is shared by new deputy president Dr David Whittet, who is currently researching a book on Beethoven’s medical history.

Dr Whittet has represented RNZCGP at both national and international forums on rural general practice. He has practiced for more than 10 years at Te Karaka, near Gisborne, and is the only GP on the 150km stretch of State Highway 2 between Gisborne and Opotiki.

ENDS

© Scoop Media