Australia: debate over health assessment for older practitioners
Date postedJanuary 8, 2025
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) has proposed mandatory health assessments for general practitioners (GPs) aged over 70, affecting approximately 3,142 doctors nationwide. This proposal has raised concerns within the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) about potential exacerbation of existing workforce shortages, particularly in rural areas where older GPs constitute a significant portion of the medical workforce. AHPRA cites an increase in notifications involving late-career doctors as justification for the assessments, while the RACGP questions the effectiveness of such measures and warns against adding regulatory burdens that could prompt early retirements among experienced practitioners.