Doctors in politics

Doctors in politics

It’s not unusual for doctors to foray into politics – former AMA Presidents, Dr Brendan Nelson, Professor Kerryn Phelps and Professor Brian Owler are just a few names that spring to mind. The NSW Doctor interviewed two candidates who are also hoping to make that career transition from practice to politics.

Dr Sophie Scamps

Independent candidate for Mackellar, Dr Sophie Scamps, is a practicing GP on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. 

Having graduated from the University in Sydney in 1995, Dr Scamps continued her education in Ireland and then Oxford University. While studying medicine, Dr Scamps qualified for the 1992 Olympics in 800m. She is an Australian record holder for 800m, and a Gold medallist at the World Junior Athletics Championships. 

Dr Scamps founded Our Blue Dot, a community-led NGO that assists individuals and community groups to reduce their impact on the environment. Spurred by a desire for greater political action on climate change, she announced her candidacy in December 2021.

Q. What persuaded you to enter politics?

A few years ago, when discussing climate change with my 12-year-old son and his friends, one of the boys told me, “Adults have failed us kids.” This was the trigger I needed to step up to do what I could to act on climate change. So, when our current member put out a tick-a-box survey at the height of the Black Summer bushfires and climate change wasn’t even on the list, I knew I had to act. 

I have been concerned about Australia’s lack of action on climate change for a long time and see climate change as not only an environmental problem, but also as an impending population health crisis too. Watching our government stubbornly refuse to act on climate change has been like watching a slow-motion train wreck. We have a lot of solutions for climate change, but the political will to enact them is lacking. At the same time, our current member for Mackellar was not delivering for locals or authentically representing the concerns of people here in Parliament. 

So, a combination of my local members’ inaction and a feeling like I needed to do my bit to help create a better future for my children and their generation has led me to this moment.  

Q. What issues are you passionate about?

I am passionate about giving Mackellar a true, genuine voice in Canberra. For too long we have been ignored and taken for granted and I am really passionate about encouraging people to re-engage in their democracy. Mackellar has been a safe seat since its inception, and this has meant our collective voice has been missing from the national conversation for too long. 

When it comes to policy issues, I am incredibly passionate about and will act immediately on climate change. As a doctor I understand that the health, wellbeing, security, and prosperity of all Australians depends on keeping global warming to a liveable level. So, the most important thing I can do as someone intent on caring for my community, is to help bring about real action on climate change. 

In addition, bringing decency, transparency, and integrity back into our politics by introducing a federal integrity commission and donation reforms are amongst my top priorities as I believe that good policies and decisions can only flow from a system that is free from corruption and cronyism.

I am also incredibly passionate about ensuring my community has equitable access to health and mental health services. There has been a chronic lack of mental health services on the Northern Beaches for too long now, and there are very limited options to access to public outpatient health services on the Beaches since the closure of Manly and Mona Vale public hospitals. 

Q. What are your top health priorities?

Climate Change – The AMA has labelled climate change as a Health Emergency and so we need to view climate change not only through the prism of the environment and the economy, but also as a major health issue. We know heat kills more Australians than other weather-related disasters each year, while the World Health Organisation estimates 4.6 million people die each year due to exposure to air pollution. 

Pandemic preparedness – Now is the time to learn from the lessons of the current pandemic and apply them to preparing our health system, our health workforce, and our community, for the next pandemic. We should develop a robust national pandemic readiness plan and re-establish national pandemic training exercises, which have not been run since 2008.

Mental health – As a GP and mother I know that suicide and mental health issues have touched a lot of young people in our community. I also know how difficult it is to access mental health services in Mackellar and around the country, so tackling this issue will be a major focus for me. 

Aged care and the NDIS – The pandemic has highlighted issues in our aged care sector and Parliament must ensure the full implementation of the recommendations of the Aged Care Royal Commission. Ensuring that the NDIS remains robust and comprehensive is another a priority.

Addressing chronic staffing shortages for nurses, midwives, and carers – and improving patient safety by ensuring adequate staff to patient ratios.

Q. What are the greatest challenges facing the health system?

Our health system is inadequately funded and as our population ages, it will come under more and more stress. 

Access to health and mental health care is already difficult in many parts of this country. Hospitals are underfunded and having to choose between funding acute or chronic care services meaning people who desperately need care are falling through the gaps. We desperately need a national body to provide oversight and promote cooperation between State and Commonwealth governments to ensure there is a unified strategy for healthcare provision in this country and the gaps in healthcare coverage are closed. 

Healthcare workers in every part of our sector are overworked and exhausted after the last few years and government must do more to support them, reward them fairly and keep them in the health system. In the last few years Australia has seen just how valuable our health system is, and how heroic our healthcare workers are, and we need governments to recognise this.

Dr Gordon Reid

Born and raised on the Central Coast, the Labor candidate for Robertson, Dr Gordon Reid is a proud Wiradjuri man who has strong family connections to the local Aboriginal community.

After finishing his medical degree at the University of Newcastle, he completed his internship, junior and senior residencies and emergency medicine rotations at Gosford, Woy Woy and Wyong Hospitals. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, he has been working in the emergency department of Wyong Hospital. 

Dr Reid’s priorities include building more equitable and accessible healthcare and disability services for the community, as well as improving access and affordability to GP services and services through the NDIS.

As the son of local business owners, Dr Reid wants greater support and fair treatment for small business owners.

Climate change and a desire to preserve the Central Coast environment is also a priority. 

Q1. What persuaded you to enter politics?

The reasons as to why I wish to enter politics are multifaceted. To change from working in a busy regional emergency department to standing in a federal election was not something that I thought would be occurring at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, there was one moment recently that stands out. I was in the middle of the emergency department, in full PPE, I scanned the list and there were almost 100 patients either undergoing treatment or waiting to be seen. Multiple ambulances were lined up waiting to offload their patients, so that they may return to the road. The waiting room was bursting at the seams, standing room only, with a significant number of patients presenting as they were unable to afford, or unable to consult their GP in a timely manner.

This scene that I describe is not an uncommon occurrence throughout New South Wales.

It was at this moment, that I realised our doctors, our nurses, and the hospital system have been, and still are, in crisis. I also realised this crisis was not created by the staff working in or administering the hospital; this crisis was created by the very people that had been elected to represent the interests, and indeed the health of the people.

 This is why I chose to stand as the Federal Labor Candidate for the seat of Robertson. I chose to stand for each and every one of the people in the department that day, and every day before and after that. I chose to stand so that we can do better today than we did yesterday. 

Q2. What issues are you passionate about?

The issues that I am passionate about, after healthcare, would include climate change and Australia’s place in the world.

Australia’s relationship and connection with countless nations around the world is unparalleled, particularly in Asia and the Pacific, which was forged by the diplomatic and multinational achievements of past Labor Governments. This has supported and sustained free flow of economic growth and commerce in the region, ensuring that Australia is recognised as a global leader. I feel that this has been neglected under the current government and that a more progressive approach is required to ensure open discussion and cooperation with our international partners.

Additionally, climate change has long been an issue for not only Australia, but the world. I would proudly support and advocate for the critical and imperative goals of creating and supporting a renewable energy sector and achieving net zero emissions. The Central Coast of New South Wales is home to some of Australia’s most beautiful, yet fragile ecosystems. It is absolutely essential that we protect this gift for future generations.  

Q3. What are your top health priorities?

Labor created Medicare and the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which has provided every Australian, regardless of age, gender, background, or socio-economic status, the equal and universal access to one of the finest medical and disability support systems in the world. As a medical professional, I know how it has changed lives on the Central Coast, and throughout Australia. If elected as a federal member of parliament, protecting, and strengthening Medicare, our universal health provision, would be at the top of my list of priorities.

Access to a GP is another of my top health priorities. Affordability and securing a timely appointment are just two of the issues affecting patients. Further, a significant number of medical students are not selecting general practice as a specialty choice.

If elected as a federal representative, I will work constructively with doctors, practices, and the tertiary education sector. This issue is not only demand driven but is a supply side issue that we must strive to remedy for the benefit of the nation. On a final note, improved access to primary care is a far more economically viable model than ongoing, repeated presentations to the emergency department. Thus, supporting the primary care sector is both advantageous to the health of the people and the economy. 

Q4. What are the greatest challenges facing the healthcare system?

One of the greatest challenges facing the healthcare system on the Central Coast and around the state is that access to a GP is becoming increasingly more difficult. People are either unable to afford to see a GP due to rising private fees or alternatively they are unable to secure a timely appointment. Therefore, these patients are presenting to the emergency department.

Practices are having to charge private fees to address the increasing costs associated with running a surgery, increasing complexity of patient care required in a short consultation time and the rising costs of private medical indemnity insurance. This hindered access to primary care is compounded by a lack of medical students selecting General Practice as a training option. 

Obstructed access to a GP has flow on effects for both patients and the community. A chronic disease that is otherwise managed has the potential to spiral out of control and require critical intervention in hospital. If patients are unable to access the people who deliver the foundations of our healthcare, this will have grave social and economic implications.