Our submission to the Medical Board of Australia calls for further consultation before any decisions are made and highlights the need for support for later-career doctors.
We’ve made a on proposed health checks for late-career doctors, calling for further consultation before any decisions are made. The submission also highlights the need for support for later-career doctors who want to continue practising medicine.
Given the evolution and complexity of this issue, we are urging the Board to consider further consultation based on recent evidence, aimed at supporting the health and wellbeing of doctors.
The submission follows extensive consultation and feedback from our members on the proposed checks, and direct engagement with the Medical Board Chair, Dr Anne Tonkin. It highlights the AMA’s long engagement on the proposal, dating back to the early 2010s when a model akin to revalidation was proposed. Our strong advocacy and engagement with the Expert Advisory Group in 2017 led to revalidation being rejected.
The submission emphasises our advocacy for doctors to have regular health checks across all career stages with their regular GP, but warns that overly-burdensome mandatory health checks could dissuade doctors from remaining in practice, reducing access to experienced mentors for younger colleagues and limiting patient care options.
As the Board moves forward, it is crucial that practitioner wellbeing remains at the forefront of their decision-making. The proposed model is currently too complex for late-career doctors and their healthcare providers.
We will continue to work collaboratively with the Medical Board to ensure any changes to registration requirements serve the best interests of both doctors and patients alike.
