A heart failure specialist has pleaded with the Department of Health to keep heart health checks around, with the department currently reviewing its future.

It’s currently costing the department around $10 million a year with some general practitioners (GP) claiming to not like heart health checks, as they are not paid enough to carry out the check.

Associate Professor Monique Watts, Cardiologist and Heart Failure Specialist at Epworth Freemasons and the Alfred Hospital, believes it is a necessity to keep the checks around.

Press PLAY to hear her plea 

“I think the cuts to preventative health are the last things that Australians need and the last thing our GP’s need,” Professor Watts told Neil Mitchell.

“I think it sends the wrong message to our GP’s and it definitely sends the wrong message to the public to say that we don’t need heart health checks.”

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