Pub Health Checks Saving Lives in Regional Victoria
20 Feb 2026
Dr Ravin Sadhai, a GP in Bacchus Marsh, created the “Pub Clinic” to reach men who rarely book a doctor’s appointment. His goal was clear: if men are not coming to the GP, bring healthcare to where they feel comfortable.
Across Australia, men are less likely than women to visit a GP. In 2024, about 78% of men saw a GP, compared to 87% of women. Men aged 25–34 visit a GP just 1.9 times a year on average, while women the same age attend around 3.5 times. Alarmingly, half of all deaths in men under 75 are considered potentially preventable.
Dr Sadhai moved to Bacchus Marsh in 2006 and quickly became part of the community. He works at Bacchus Marsh Medical Centre, supports the local football club as a GP, and personally organises and hosts each Pub Clinic event.
The first Pub Clinic was held in 2008. What began as a small gathering offering drinks, health checks and guest speakers now attracts up to 200 men each year. The event runs annually and includes talks from health professionals such as physiotherapists, personal trainers, cardiologists and neurosurgeons. Medical students also provide basic health checks on the night, including blood pressure and blood sugar testing.
The event is free, thanks to support from local sponsors.
Three years ago, Dr Sadhai also launched a women’s version called the Ladies Lounge after strong community interest. He says the two events feel different — men tend to turn up casually, while women usually book tickets and numbers often need to be capped.
While it is difficult to measure exact outcomes, Dr Sadhai believes the impact is clear within the community. The sessions are run as open discussions rather than formal lectures, encouraging honest conversations about health.
The next Pub Clinic will take place on Wednesday, 18 March at the Plough Hotel in Myrniong from 6.30pm.
Dr Sadhai’s work has gained national recognition. This year, he received a Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to medicine and community health in Victoria’s Bacchus Marsh region.
The idea first came to him during his medical training in Dublin in the 1990s, where he saw how pubs acted as strong community hubs. Later in Australia, he noticed many female patients becoming widows after their husbands died young from preventable conditions, often without ever seeing a doctor.
That observation helped shape a simple but powerful idea — start the health conversation where men already gather.
https://www1.racgp.org.au/
Source: newsGP