Older GPs not keen on health checks

MORE experienced GPs view the Federal Government’s preventive health schemes with greater scepticism than their younger colleagues, according to a national poll.

A survey of almost 500 GPs, carried out for MO by Julie Dang and Associates, showed there are significant generational differences in attitudes towards preventive health. 

Almost half (47%) of GPs with more than 20 years’ experience believed the 45- to 49-year-old health check to be ineffective. 

This compared to 73% of their colleagues with less than a decade’s experience, who believed it to be moderately to highly effective. 

Fifty-one per cent of GPs with more than 20 years’ experience believed the 40-plus diabetes check was ineffective, compared to 64% of their less experienced colleagues, who believed it was moderately to highly effective.

Dr Ruth Ratner, a GP in Sydney for 30 years, said the workload of doctors dictated