Study Looks at Health Notifications for Doctors
04 Feb 2026
The study, led by Professor Marie Bismark, analysed data from 112,677 registered doctors recorded by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) between 2012 and 2022. It found that just 1% of doctors received at least one health impairment notification over that period – a total of 1,732 cases.
Substance abuse was the most common reason, accounting for 38% of notifications, followed by mental health concerns at 33%. General practitioners were over-represented, with 417 notifications. GPs made up 17.7% of all doctors but 33.6% of those with notifications.
Professor Bismark said GPs were almost twice as likely as physicians to receive a notification, and 2.5 times more likely for substance use issues.
Only 6% of notifications were made by treating doctors, dispelling fears that seeing a doctor for help automatically leads to mandatory reporting.
Doctors aged 70 and older, male doctors, and those in rural areas were more likely to receive notifications. About 21.5% of notifications led to practice restrictions.
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said it’s reassuring that notifications are rare and urged doctors to look after their health. “If any doctor has concerns about their physical or mental health, or issues with drugs, it’s important they seek care,” he said.
Professor Bismark, who has personal experience as a doctor recovering from illness, emphasised that with proper care, doctors can recover and continue practising safely. “Illness doesn’t necessarily mean impairment,” she said.
AHPRA Acting Executive Director Monica Lambley said practitioners often struggle in silence and encouraged them to seek help early to continue providing safe care.
https://www1.racgp.org.au/
Source: Medical Journal of Australia / newsGP
