Older doctors could face mandatory medical checks

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Older doctors could soon have to undergo medical check-ups to continue working. The medical board says older doctors are more likely to be the subject of complaints and it wants to make the change to keep patients safe.

Transcript

00:00At 72, orthopaedic surgeon Andreas Loeffler is not slowing down.

00:08Even though some people think I am senior, shall we say, use that term rather than old,

00:15I'm actually still in full time employment.

00:18He says age is no barrier to being a doctor.

00:2170 is quite an arbitrary number.

00:23But the Medical Board of Australia disagrees.

00:27As we all age, all of us get health issues, and doctors get them just as much as anyone

00:32else does.

00:33And occasionally the health issue makes it difficult for the doctor to look after their

00:37patients safely.

00:38The Medical Board has put three options on the table for doctors over 70.

00:43The first is a rigorous test to determine a doctor's fitness to practice.

00:48The second, and the Board's preferred option, is that doctors have a general check-up every

00:52three years and an annual check when they turn 80.

00:56If they're diagnosed with a condition that may impair their work, they'd need to do something

01:01about it or would be mandatorily reported to the Board.

01:06The other option is to maintain the current status quo.

01:09Late career practitioners over the age of 70 are 81% more likely to be complained about

01:15than their younger colleagues.

01:17But some are concerned a blanket check-up isn't suitable for all medical specialties.

01:23When it comes as an age-related thing rather than a competence-related thing or an incident,

01:28that we have some concerns, and 70 is the new 50.

01:31The Australian Medical Association says it wants to ensure that older doctors aren't

01:36discriminated against because of their age.

01:39Doctors say they want clarity around whether they could be forced to retire.

01:43The Board's consultation period will run for two months.

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