A RANGE of healthcare industry bodies have welcomed a Medical Board of Australia decision not to proceed with mandatory health checks for doctors aged over 70.
In 2024, the Board consulted on options to keep late career doctors in safe practice, including through mandatory health checks.
A total of 201 submissions were received.
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) notifications data published in the consultation regulation impact statement indicated there was nearly double the rate of notifications (including for health-related matters) about doctors aged over 70, compared with doctors aged under 70.
Consultation feedback showed general acceptance that there was increased risk to patients from unsafe practice and unmanaged health issues among late career doctors, but disquiet about mandated health checks.
In December, after feedback and further analysis, the Board opted not to enforce mandatory health checks and instead seek a “more nuanced and collaborative solution”.
According to the Board, new analysis of the outcome of complaints to AHPRA shows the issues that require regulatory action for doctors aged over 70 are broader than health and most commonly include concerns about communication, clinical care, pharmacy/medication, as well as health.
“The Board values the contribution of late career doctors to their patients, the medical profession and our community,” Medical Board of Australia Chair Dr Susan O’Dwyer said.
“There are also some clear issues in the practice of some doctors in this group that health checks alone won’t address.
“We are keen to collaborate with the profession on supporting this group of doctors to keep their practice safe and their knowledge and skills up to date.”
The Board noted there was no existing research demonstrating that health checks would definitively reduce notifications.
Responding to consultation feedback, the Board examined more recent notifications data, to compare regulatory action taken about doctors aged 70 and over, compared to doctors aged under 70.
The Board analysed AHPRA registrations and notifications data about late career doctors from 2022-2024, sourced in October 2025.
While the number of late career doctors involved in regulatory action each year is relatively small (70 in 2022-23 and 60 in 2023-24), the data shows:
– regulatory action is taken about late career doctors at 1.6 times the rate it is taken about doctors aged under 70
– regulatory action is more likely to be taken about communication concerns (2.5 times more often), clinical care (1.8 times more often), and pharmacy/medication issues (1.4 times more often).
– in relation to health, regulatory action was taken at around the same level (1.08 times more often)
The proportion of late career doctors in Australia’s medical workforce decreased from 6.8 percent to 4.8 percent of the total practising medical workforce between 2020 and 2025, with 6,988 doctors aged 70 and over practising medicine on 30 June 2025.
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) welcomed the board’s decision not to proceed with mandatory health checks.
“We have consistently advocated for a balanced, evidence-based approach that protects patients while respecting the dignity and autonomy of late-career doctors,” AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen said
“We reaffirm our support for every doctor having a usual GP and regular confidential checkups as a voluntary and preventive measure – not a regulatory requirement.”
Dr McMullen said the AMA was looking forward to working with the Board, specialist colleges, CPD homes, and doctors’ health organisations to develop profession-led support mechanisms.
“We welcome the Board’s commitment to ongoing monitoring of complaints data and encourage transparency in how profession-led approaches are evaluated.”
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) President Dr Michael Wright agreed the MBA had made the right call.
“We are pleased that the MBA has taken our feedback on board,” he said.
“Ageist rules such as mandatory age checks or retirement ages aren’t the answer. “We all need to work to the age and with the capacity that we can, should and want to.
“Mandatory health checks don’t reduce patient harm or notifications.
“Instead, they risk increasing administrative burdens for GPs and worsening workforce shortages.”
Dr Wright emphasised that a focus on supporting doctors’ health and wellbeing, so they can practise safely for as long as they choose, is the right path.
“Having worked with GPs in their 70s and 80s, including my father, I know the invaluable care our highly experienced senior GPs can offer,” he said.
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