ABS report reveals ‘outstanding access’ to GPs

The number of patients delaying a visit to the GP when needed is dropping at the same time as GP accessibility is on the rise, according to new data.
 
However, the RACGP President said further investment in the GP workforce and training is key to sustaining this progress, with a ‘groundbreaking’ new report from the college highlighting the importance of workforce capacity.
 
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2024–25 Patient Experiences data, gathered from more than 25,000 respondents nationally, reveals GPs are the most-seen health professionals, with 83.4% of people seeing a GP last year, up from 82.6% in 2023–24.
 
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright told newsGP the data highlights that ‘GPs are the front door of the health system’.
 
‘We are the go-to place when people need care and these figures bear that out,’ he said.
 
The data shows that less people are delaying seeing their GP, with 27% reporting a delay in 2024–25, compared to 30% in 2022–23. 
 
While some delays were due to people not being able to access their preferred GP when needed, almost one in 10 people cited cost as a barrier.
 
However, that number has also declined since 2022–23, dropping from 8.8% to 7.7 % in 2024–25.
 
‘There’s still concerns there, but at least we’re going in the right direction,’ Dr Wright said.
 
‘There are still cost pressures, but what we can see from these data is that investing in general practice gets results, providing high levels of access and very cost-effectively.’
 
Dr Wright said he is pleased to see ‘a real strong sign of continuity’, with two out of three people able to see their preferred GP when needed.
 
And when a preferred GP wasn’t available, people have ‘high levels of access’ to other GPs.
 
‘We know 99% of people said that when they needed to see a GP, they could,’ he said.
 
‘So, to me that represents outstanding access and something we should be proud of, and that’s even improved in the last year, when it was 98.9%.’
 
Dr Wright said the ABS data shows Australians have ‘really high levels of access’ to GPs and that it was improving.
 
‘We know that by allowing people to see a GP who knows them, that is the most efficient and most effective form of care for people to get,’ he said.
 
‘What we really need to do is focus on funding general practice to allow us to keep seeing the high numbers of people we’re seeing, rather than setting up alternative pathways that fragment care, reduce continuity and are going to lead to worse health outcomes and increasing costs in the long run.’
 
Dr Wright said a new report from the RACGP paints a clear picture of challenges the future GP workforce faces, and what will be needed to bolster it.
 
The college’s inaugural National GP Workforce Insights Report, released at the recent GP25 conference, reveals several factors that may pose future challenges, not the least of which is large-scale retirement.
 
With more than four in 10 GPs aged over 55 years, a large segment of Australia’s GPs is nearing retirement.
 
Dr Wright said the report gives policymakers clear insight into what is needed to secure Australia’s future GP workforce, and access to high-quality general practice care for everyone in Australia.

The RACGP’s report also reveals Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, and Queensland have above average GP full-time equivalent (FTE) rates.
 
When looking at GP distribution by Modified Monash Model (MMM), it found MM6 has the lowest FTE rate per 100,000, at 40% below the national rate, while MM3 and MM4 have the highest rate at 17% and 16% over the national rate.
 
The workforce report shows more than 50% of the GP FTE workforce is made up of overseas-trained doctors.
 
Dr Wright said the report shows a potential shortage of GPs if more is not done to secure Australia’s future general practice workforce.  
 
‘Without the right type of action, many communities, particularly in rural and remote areas, won’t be able to access timely and affordable care,’ he said.
 
He said recent investments, such as the Federal Government’s $600 million commitment in the 2025–26 Budget to better support and incentivise GP training, are already beginning to pay dividends. 
 
‘Eighteen-hundred training places are funded for 2026, a 13% increase on this year, and 1900 places funded in 2027, a 6% increase from 2026,’ Dr Wright said.
  
‘We’re making strong headway, but it’s important that we keep growing the Australian General Practice Training Program to ensure that all Australians can access a GP who knows them, now and into the future.’ 
 
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