The fortysomething barrier: medicine and age discrimination.

Agism in the medical profession is mainly covert but it is not uncommon. It is widely believed that people become less productive as they get older. However, research has shown that older people have less absenteeism, more job stability, and greater output than younger workers. Job losses, which until recently were unheard of in the NHS, usually affect older people first, resulting in the loss of those with the most skill and experience. With an aging population it is important that the government takes steps to discourage age discrimination in the NHS and Britain as a whole.