Canberra GP Betty Ge has taken over as president of the Australian Medical Association ACT, with a focus on doctor working conditions and access to healthcare.

Dr Ge replaces outgoing president Kerrie Aust and will continue practising as a GP in Garran while leading the organisation.

Originally trained as a nurse in China, Dr Ge later worked as an intensive care nurse in Melbourne before studying medicine at the Australian National University.

She said workforce pressures remained a major issue in the ACT health system, pointing to unpaid overtime, rostering concerns and increasing workloads for senior doctors and GPs.

“If we want to attract and retain a strong medical workforce in the nation’s capital, we need to support doctors properly,” she said.

Dr Ge also raised concerns about continuity of care, saying patients benefit from having an ongoing relationship with a regular GP.

AMA ACT members are due to gather in Barton on Tuesday evening to formally welcome Dr Ge and a new council.

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