‘Excited for the future’

Dr Gillian Gibson is looking forward to when she becomes RANZCOG President later this year.

RANZCOG

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Updated
24 March 2023

“RANZCOG has an important role in ongoing advocacy for women’s health needs, and I welcome the opportunity to lead that,” Gill says.

Gill will take up the position of President-Elect until November 2023, then step in to the position of College President for a two-year term.
She will become the second female President of RANZCOG*. She will also become the second New Zealander to hold the office.

“I hope my election will motivate and inspire a succession of women in senior College leadership, building on the significant advances the College has made in the areas of gender equity and diversity,” she says.

Gill is Deputy Chair of the College’s Gender Equity and Diversity Working Group. “We are on a journey and have a clear commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.”

Extensive experience

Gill has been a full-time Auckland-based Generalist Obstetrician and Gynaecologist for 25 years, combining public and private practice. She currently holds Medical Officer and Service Clinical Director positions at Te Whatu Ora | Te Toka Tumai Auckland (formerly Auckland District Health Board).

Gill has been involved in College activities for much of her professional life, joining Te Kāhui Oranga ō Nuku (formerly the New Zealand Committee) nearly 20 years ago. She has served two terms on the Council and two terms on the Board, culminating in her current Vice-President (New Zealand) role. She has chaired several standing committees and working groups of the College.

Priority issues

Gill says she looks forward to pursuing the objectives set out in the College’s Strategic Plan; however she nominates workforce issues and access to sexual and reproductive health services as two key areas.

“As Chair of the New Zealand Workforce Working Group I have a deep understanding of the challenges the College faces for future workforce planning,” she says. “Aiming to keep maternity services open, an issue for both regional and rural Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, will require government support for expanding projects such as the successful OGET pilot (rural upskilling and training) and improving access for GPOs to ongoing procedural training. Improved access to sexual and reproductive health services in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand requires government commitment, and responsibility as a College to train future specialists with the necessary skills.

“RANZCOG has an important role in ongoing advocacy for women’s health needs. Over the past 20 years in Aotearoa New Zealand, I have helped successfully advocate for a maternity quality framework, abortion law reform, improvements to the cervical screening programme, Māori women’s health issues and most recently incorporating a women’s health strategy into New Zealand health legislation.”

Away from work

Gill loves nothing better than spending time with her friends and family, including her daughter, who has recently qualified as a GP.

* Dr Heather Munro AO was the first and only woman President of the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RACOG) (1994–1996). The late Associate Professor Christine Tippett AM was the first woman President of RANZCOG (2006–2008).

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