Q&A with Dr Danielle Couch: Strengthening the Future of GP Supervision
GPSA recently welcomed Dr Danielle Couch as our new Director of Policy and Research. In this interview, Danielle shares her passion for supervision, her priorities for the role, and her vision for strengthening policy, advocacy and research to support the future GP supervision workforce.
Danielle brings extensive experience across primary care, community health, research and health policy to her role as GPSA’s Director of Policy and Research. Her career has included working with ACCHOs across Victoria’s Loddon Mallee region, involvement in community health, and a range of PHN roles spanning population health planning, regional mental health programs, and strategy, governance, policy and program implementation at a jurisdictional level.
What attracted you to the role of Director of Policy and Research at GPSA?
"I first interacted with GPSA several years ago through a research project and became really interested in supervision and the critical role it plays in primary care. It made me realise how fundamental supervision is to building and sustaining the GP workforce.
"At the same time, there have been significant primary care reforms underway, including increased government funding for GP training places. That creates an important opportunity, but also a challenge if we don’t have enough supervisors to support the next generation of GPs.
"It felt like an important time to join GPSA and help strengthen understanding of the vital role supervision plays across the health system."
What excites you most about the opportunity to shape policy, advocacy and research in general practice supervision?
"What excites me most is the opportunity to continue highlighting the importance of supervision and bringing forward the voices and experiences of supervisors.
"Supervisors have invaluable insights into what is working well, what challenges they are facing, and what needs to improve. Through research, advocacy and policy work, GPSA can help ensure those perspectives are heard by policymakers and decision-makers.
"It’s about making sure supervision remains recognised as an essential part of a strong and sustainable primary care system."
GPSA has several major research priorities underway. Which areas are you particularly passionate about and why?
"One of my priorities is to really understand and showcase the significant body of research GPSA has already produced. Over many years, GPSA has delivered important research projects that continue to provide valuable insights for the sector.
"I’m particularly interested in ensuring those findings continue to inform advocacy and policy discussions, while also sharing outcomes with the supervisors and practices who contributed to the research.
"I’m also very interested in the long-term insights emerging from GPSA’s national surveys and what they can tell us about trends, challenges and opportunities in supervision.
Do you see your role helping strengthen the future GP supervision workforce?
"Absolutely. Part of that is working closely with my colleagues at GPSA, who already do incredibly important work in education, advocacy and supporting the online supervision community.
"Another important aspect is identifying gaps in our knowledge and understanding what research can help address key issues facing the supervision workforce. That includes looking at changes in the demographic profile of GP supervisors and better understanding what supervisors need from their roles.
"Importantly, I think we also need to look at supervision through a broader systems lens. Supervision decision-making is about more than the individual supervisor - it’s shaped by government policy, practice and business factors, and the experiences, motivations and preferences of supervisors themselves. Understanding how those factors interact will be an important part of strengthening the future supervision workforce."
What are your early priorities as you settle into the role?
"One immediate priority has been supporting GPSA’s submission for the RACGP Education Research Grant program, working closely with our research partner, Monash University.
"Another major focus is working with the Commonwealth on the development of the national supervision survey planned for 2027, building on GPSA’s existing national survey work.
"More broadly, I’m focused on understanding both the research GPSA has already delivered and the broader supervision research currently underway across Australia.
"GPSA does not need to “own” all supervision research. Part of our role is to engage with researchers across the sector to help amplify important findings and support the translation of evidence into policy and practice.
What do you hope GPSA members and stakeholders will see from the Policy and Research team over the next 12 months?
"I hope members and stakeholders will see a strong focus on engagement, collaboration and sharing knowledge across the supervision sector.
"There is excellent supervision research and advocacy work happening across Australia, and I see GPSA playing an important role in connecting with researchers, universities and other stakeholders who share our interests.
"Part of my focus will be identifying valuable research, helping share those insights with our members through channels like eNews and webinars, and ensuring good evidence informs advocacy and decision-making."
On a lighter note - coffee, beach, books or podcasts?
"Definitely coffee, especially first thing in the morning. I tend to start work early, usually in my dressing gown with a strong coffee while I’m writing and planning for the day ahead. By about 3:30pm though, I switch to tea."
"Outside of work, I love the beach and I’m a big reader. We also have three dogs and some chickens. I recently moved from a rural location into a regional city, so a lot of my free time is now spent walking them and getting to know my new neighbourhood.
"I also enjoy strength training at the gym, yoga, mostly at home, and I’m making ongoing efforts to get better at meditation."