Keeping late-career doctors in safe practice
Medical Board of Australia consults on new approach to keep late-career doctors in safe practice
Data shows doctors aged over 70 are 81 per cent more likely to be the subject of a notification compared with than those under 70.
The Medical Board of Australia’s goal is to keep late-career doctors in safe practice, while protecting patients from risk caused by undetected or unmanaged health issues.
Consultation is now open on possible health checks for late-career doctors, aged 70 and over.
The Medical Board of Australia (the Board) is consulting on three options to keep late-career doctors in safe practice, while protecting patients from risk caused by any undetected or unmanaged health issues.
The likelihood of health impairment increases with age – affecting doctors as much as everyone else in the community. Ahpra data shows doctors aged over 70 are 81 per cent more likely to be the subject of a notification compared with those under 70. The rate of notifications related to health impairment is more than three times higher for doctors over 70 compared with younger colleagues. The issues raised in notifications also change with practitioner age, with complaints relating to physical illness or cognitive decline 15.5 times higher for older doctors than for doctors aged 36 to 60 years.
Doctors have a reputation as reluctant patients, and the Board is concerned they don’t always seek the care they need.
General health checks for doctors every three years from age 70, and annually from 80 could prevent risk to patients from undetected or unmanaged health issues among late-career medical practitioners. Like all public health screening, general health checks aim to detect issues early so they can be managed, keeping late-career doctors in safe practice.
The Board’s goal is to safely extend the careers of late-career doctors by preventing avoidable risk to patients. Information gained in the health checks would enable doctors to address any emerging health issues and continue to practise safely, controlling the later stages of their careers.
A public consultation on the issue is now open, with details of three options set out in the consultation regulation impact statement:
keep the status quo and do nothing extra to ensure late-career doctors are healthy and able to provide safe care
introduce an extensive and detailed ‘fitness to practise’ assessment for all doctors aged 70 and older, to be conducted by specialist occupational physicians, or
introduce general health checks with a GP for late-career doctors aged 70 and older, to support early detection of concerns with the opportunity for management before the public is at risk.
The proposed general health checks would be similar to existing Medicare-funded general health checks provided by GPs for patients aged over 75.
Under the proposal, results of general health checks would be confidential between the late-career doctor and their treating practitioner and would NOT be provided to the Board routinely.
The Board’s approach is data-driven and risk-based, aimed at a proportionate response. Extensive research linking advanced practitioner age to increasing risk to patients is detailed in the consultation paper.
Please share your views. Read the consultation regulation impact statement on the Current consultation page.
Media Release: Medical Board consults on new approach to keep late career doctors in safe practice