As NSW and Victoria are facing lockdowns and the spread of this COVID variant increases the strain on us and our health system, AFMW extends its heartfelt best wishes to our doctors and health leaders who are trying their absolute best to respond to the evolving picture.
Congratulations to the hard-working GPs who are addressing the fears and anxiety of patients, whilst helping them understand that the science of medicine is not black and white. We are doing our best to get them across the line from vaccine hesitancy to vaccine acceptance and in this way, we are saving lives.
Sourcing supplies of PPE and well fitted masks continue to be an issue in general practice as well as procuring adequate numbers of vaccines to administer them to our patients, fairly. In the 30 years since I have been in practice, these are unprecedented issues and life in GP -land has not become any easier. To all the doctors who are overstretched in so many other ways, we invite you to visit our mental health and wellbeing resources.
As a break from all of this, please join us as we talk with Professor Caroline De Costa on August 25th to hear about her new book ‘the women’s doc‘ and become inspired.
Transforming grief into tangible outcome helps somewhat.
Here’s a list of what I’ve done:
- I’ve written a Climate change and Gender OP-ED
- Have made another submission to the Framework for a National Strategy on climate change
- Have launched AFMW’s Herstory – please send your Herstory submission so we can grow this story.
- I have connected with my family and friends in Greece often
- As an individual, have participated in local Greek organisations funding the fire relief in Greece
- Afghanistan: have written to my local MP and Federal Minister for Immigration The Honourable Alex Hawke one amongst many I’ve written to regarding assisting Afghan refugees arrive safely here.
- Delivered a presentation on the new Information Sharing Schemes and Family Violence
- Attended parts of the Better Futures Conference
- This weekend am attending the Western Pacific MWIA Conference in Korea and will chair 2 sessions
- I’m presenting the preliminary findings of the MWIA COVID-19 Survey.
Stay well and safe,
Magdalena
Associate Professor Magdalena Simonis AM is the Immediate Past President of the AFMW (2020-2023), former President of VMWS (2013 & 2017-2020) and current AFMW National Coordinator (2024-2026). She is a full time clinician who also holds positions on several not for profit organisations, driven by her passion for bridging gaps across the health sector. She is a leading women’s health expert, keynote speaker, climate change and gender equity advocate and government advisor. Magda is member of The Australian Health Team contributing monthly articles.
Magdalena was awarded a lifetime membership of the RACGP for her contributions which include past chair of Women in General Practice, longstanding contribution to the RACGP Expert Committee Quality Care, the RACGP eHealth Expert Committee. She is regularly invited to comment on primary care research though mainstream and medical media and contributes articles on various health issues through newsGP and other publications.
Magdalena has represented the RACGP at senate enquiries and has worked on several National Health Framework reviews. She is author of the RACGP Guide on Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery and co-reviewer of the RACGP Red Book Women’s Health Chapter, and reviewer of the RACGP White book
Both an RACGP examiner and University examiner, she undertakes general practice research and is a GP Educator with the Safer Families Centre of Research Excellence, which develops education tools to assist the primary care sector identify, respond to and manage family violence . Roles outside of RACGP include the Strategy and Policy Committee for Breast Cancer Network Australia, Board Director of the Melbourne University Teaching Health Clinics and the elected GP representative to the AMA Federal Council. In 2022. she was award the AMA (Vic) Patrick Pritzwald-Steggman Award 2022, which celebrates a doctor who has made an exceptional contribution to the wellbeing of their colleagues and the community and was listed as Women’s Agenda 2022 finalist for Emerging Leader in Health.
Magdalena has presented at the United Nations as part of the Australian Assembly and was appointed the Australian representative to the World Health Organisation, World Assembly on COVID 19, by the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA) in 2021. In 2023, A/Professor Simonis was included on the King’s COVID-19 Champion’s list and was also awarded a Member (AM) in the General Division for significant service to medicine through a range of roles and to women’s health.
