New RCGP chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne on tackling the challenges facing general practice

This week Emma speaks to new RCGP chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne. Professor Hawthorne takes over as college chair from Professor Martin Marshall this week – on 19 November – so this is one of her first interviews in the role.

Professor Hawthorne has been a GP for 34 years and practises in South Wales. She is a professor and head of graduate entry medicine at the University of Swansea - a role she has been seconded from for her three-year term as RCGP chair - and also a Bevan commissioner.

She has been heavily involved with the college for many years and was vice chair from 2015 to 2018 when she was responsible for professional development.

During this conversation Professor Hawthorne explains why she decided to become a GP, what her key priorities will be in her first year as chair in her first year in the post and what she hopes to achieve over her full three-year term.

With a background in medical education she also talks about how she feels medical education needs to change to develop the doctors of the future, one of her research areas of interest - health inequalities - and whether she feels positive about the future of the profession.

This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen.

Useful links

Home Office to look at 'umbrella bodies' sponsoring IMG GPs to remain in UK

Royal College of GPs website

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