It’s Doctor Time! is a campaign by Inclusion Australia launched in August 2024 to encourage more people with intellectual disability to see their GP for a yearly health check.
Background
It’s Doctor Time! is about choosing a special time of year to book in a yearly health check. Doctor Time could be around a person’s birthday, in Autumn, during NAIDOC Week, AFL Grand Final week, or any other time that helps the person with intellectual disability remember to go to the GP around the same time every year.
It’s Doctor Time! includes information and resources for people with intellectual disability, families, GPs and clinic staff, service providers and others.
What are yearly health checks?
A yearly health check is a big heath check with your GP that you should do once a year, even if you do not feel sick. GPs sometimes call these Annual Health Assessments.
Why are yearly health checks important?
Yearly health checks are important so your GP can check your body is working properly and find any health problems before they get too big. Medicare helps to cover the cost of your yearly health check. This means you might not have to pay for most or all of it.
To help answer any questions you might have about going to the GP, Speak Out Advocacy have made a video that talks about what happens at a yearly health check.
We have made lots of resources like factsheets, posters, social stories, videos and more. Find these resources below.
