When is it time for an older doctor to hang up their stethoscope? We owe it to their patients to get it right | Ranjana Srivastava

A doctors' ability to provide sound patient care diminishes with age. We need a comprehensive, fair and respectful way of assessing fitness to practice

At my medical graduation over 25 years ago, the earnest guest speaker made us promise we would get ourselves a GP. All 160 of us humoured him, secretly believing illness was something that happened to other people.

I was 23 years old then. It took me 20 years to honour the promise. In that time, no friend issued me a prescription or arranged any tests: I guess I was lucky. During pregnancy, my obstetrician took charge but didn't mention getting a GP. Becoming a parent made me realise the importance of objectivity in healthcare, which is how my family found a GP. To be clear, I don't recommend any doctor delay finding a GP like I did, especially in this environment of stress and burnout.