From the President: WONCA Groups at work

Have you seen WONCA's annual report for 2024? It's a great resource for finding out more about WONCA activities.

In particular, I wish to focus on the activities of WONCA's Working Parties (WPs) and Special Interest Groups (SIGs) who have reported about their 2024 activities and what they anticipate doing in 2025.

WONCA has 10 WPs and 18 SIGs, varied in size and stage of development. Their objectives and more information including a link to join any of the groups, can be found online: WONCA Groups.

2024 WP and SIG Highlights

In a year without a world conference, it is always amazing how much can be achieved online or in region meetings. I can't mention every group, nor every activity, so please check out the annual report in full.

WONCA International Classification Committee (WICC) was established alongside WONCA in 1972 and celebrated over 50 years of operation with a workshop in Newcastle, UK, and a Zoom meeting featuring key leaders who have significantly contributed to this history, including Niels Bentzen, Erik Falko, Marc Jamoulle, Thomas Kuehlein, Kees van Boven, and Juan Gérvas. We applaud the past leaders and WICC's substantial outputs including the ICPC-3 coding system.

WP on Research launched a mentorship program for primary care research in collaboration with our Young Doctors' Movement.

WP on eHealth developed a research paper exploring the application of McWhinney's principles in the digital realm, which is currently under submission.

Photo: Members of the WONCA WP on eHealth in China participating in a digital accreditation program with Ping An Good Doctor.

WP on Rural Practice was focused on the 20th World Rural Health Conference "Ubuntu 2024" held in Cape Town, South Africa. The conference was held in collaboration with The Network: Toward Unity for Health (TUFH). As with all rural conferences, it was a wonderful chance for the participants to share experiences at the conference, and for some such as the WONCA President, to go on a highly informative post-conference tour to rural sites. Read more in my October 2024 column.

Photo: At Ubuntu – WONCA Iberoamericana region President and John MacLeod keynote speaker, Dora Bernal from Colombia with WONCA president and Bruce Chater, chair of WONCA WP on Rural Practice

WP on Quality and Safety have held monthly executive meetings and weekly coordination meetings. They have launched a comprehensive set of initiatives around the WHO Patient Safety Day, including engaging members to gather ideas for the annual theme and participating in the theme decision-making process.

WP on Women and Family Medicine were busy at regional conferences and webinar-based educational activities.

Educational webinars were common in 2024 among many groups. The SIG on Policy Advocacy held quarterly webinars open to all and will continue with these. Check out their webinars from 2024 here.

A number of groups are actively engaged with the WHO, including the SIG on Cancer and Palliative Care, which presented to the WHO in Memphis, and the SIG on Family Violence, who are excited to leverage their current momentum to further strengthen their partnership with the WHO.

2025 — Books, Plans, and Meetings

One of the very useful outputs of our WONCA groups over the years has been books written by our own experts on the subject. Many of our WONCA groups are working or thinking about producing a WONCA book. There are three books coming in 2025:

• "Core values in family medicine: Inspiring global change" coming from the core values project being conducted in all regions of the world.
• "Digital Health for Primary Care" from the Working Party on eHealth.
• "Mental Health Challenges in Primary Care" is also about to be published by the Working Party on Mental Health.

Other books currently in the planning stage include:

• "Planetary Health in Family Practice" is planned by the WP on Planetary Health.
• "Future Perspectives in Primary Care Research" will be a new WP on Research book moving on from the previous very popular book "How to do Primary Care Research".
• WP Quality and Safety "Patient Safety in Family Medicine".

More books are being considered, such as the SIG Adolescent and Young Adult Care plan to finalise and publish a book on adolescent and young adult health to support primary care providers who are managing the care of this population. We can also expect a book from the SIG Family Violence.

Highlights of Other Plans for 2025

• WP on Education plans workshops and sessions for the WONCA World Conference in 2025 and will support workshops at the WONCA regional workshops as well.
• WP on Ethics and Professionalism expect to complete the AI ethics in primary care position statement, which will interest many of us.
• WP on eHealth, as well as a coming book, their ultimate goal is to develop recommendations that influence undergraduate and postgraduate curricula.
• WP on Rural Practice looks forward to the Global Rural Health Summit, Bengaluru, India, immediately preceding the WONCA South Asia Region conference.
• WP on Quality and Safety plans to consolidate its role as an active partner with the WHO on patient safety activities.

WONCA World Conference 2025

The meeting in Lisbon is keenly awaited. This is the ideal time for new members to become involved in any WONCA group (see link to group webpages).

WP on Women and Family Medicine is preparing for pre-conference and conference activities in Lisbon. Many groups will meet before the conference, and there will be significant contributions to the program through workshops and other sessions.

The SIG on Point of Care Testing notes networking and collaboration become important at a world conference, and this group (and most others) plans to host an annual meeting in Lisbon, fostering regional partnerships and engaging with industry stakeholders to promote innovation.

Congratulations

I congratulate all Chairs and members of our WONCA WPs and SIGs on the work they do for WONCA. It always amazes me what has been achieved and the innovation displayed.

Also in WONCA's annual report are items from our Region Presidents speaking about their activities, and each of the regional Young Doctors' Movements doing likewise. Find the full annual report here. A shortened "snapshot" is also available here — great to download and email to colleagues and all in your clinic to read!!

The ultimate conclusion for all interested in our Working Parties and Special Interest Groups is...

See you in Lisbon!

A/Prof Karen Flegg
WONCA President