ID-5184 Wonca Abstracts supplement A-K 13-10-23 - Flipbook - Page 282
WONCA 2023 Supplement 1: WONCA 2023 abstracts (A–K)
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Finding and refinding our voice: building skills for patient
and professional advocacy in family medicine
E/Prof Amanda Howe1, A/Prof Shabir Moosa2
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WONCA SIG Political Advocacy, Royal College of GPs (UK), and University of East Anglia Norwich;
also Past President WONCAh, 2WONCA Executive Member at Large, WONCA SIG Political Advocacy,
University of the Witwatersrand
As highly trained professionals working within communities, family doctors are often expected to be
advocates both for their individual patients and their local populations. Some also take up leadership
roles where they may be advocating, for example, for improved services and resources; or for better
training and working conditions for themselves and their colleagues. But many family doctors have not
had the chance to learn or practise the skills that can make us effective advocates. This skill-building
session will use participants’ experience and settings to help them reflect and learn.
The content will cover:
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WHAT The definitions and dimensions of effective advocacy – these make us more conscious
and able to analyse different situations, in order to make our interventions more skilful
WHY Considering priorities and values – why we advocate for family medicine, and how to
choose the most important within that among the many different needs
HOW The means and methods of advocacy – formal/informal; use of different media and
voices …
WHO Creating and stabilising alliances – including with colleagues, stakeholders and with those
holding power
WHERE AND WHEN – planning, timing, delivering, evaluating …
The session will provide some initial briefing materials as a short presentation. We shall use small
groups to do case-based exercises, using examples from family doctors that address advocacy
in clinical and professional settings. Then participants will use their own examples to discuss main
learning needs. After feedback, we shall encourage each to use the last few minutes to reflect on
‘What will you do when you get home with this session?’ We shall also offer a follow-up webinar so
that people can come back for further support, and to share the ways in which they put the skills to
use in their own setting.
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