GP access increases as profession remains ‘system anchor’

The share of Australians who visited a GP in the last year rose from 80% to 85%, and 98% among those aged 65 and older, according to a new report shining a light on what patients want from their healthcare.
 
The 2026–27 NAB Health Insights Report, released on Thursday, shares the views of more than 1000 Australians, questioning how they are engaging with healthcare and what they value most.
 
It found ‘GPs remain the system anchor’, with 76% of respondents who had seen a GP in the past year ranking them as the most important practitioner for their or their family’s overall health.
 
It also reveals 68% of respondents were bulk billed at their last GP visit, up from 58%, and while access is improving, gaps remain.
 
‘There is no single average patient experience. Needs and friction points vary by age, income, geography, gender and patient cohort,’ the report says.
 
‘Lower-income Australians are more likely to use essential services such as GPs and pharmacies, but less likely to access services that often involve greater out-of-pocket costs, including dentists.’
 
It states that while ‘provider switching’ has eased, nearly one-third of respondents still changed at least one health professional because of dissatisfaction, with GPs and dentists most affected.
 
It also found almost half of Australians experienced some form of unmet care over the past year, with dentists, GPs and non-GP specialists the most missed services.
 
‘The practical question is whether patients can find care, book it, understand the next step and follow through,’ it said.
 
‘Access is not separate from quality; it is one of the ways patients experience quality.’
 
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said the report’s findings are an ‘important sign of the central role’ that GPs play in Australian healthcare.
 
‘Patients do have more choices about where to access care, and if they do find barriers, like long waiting times, or difficulty making appointments, they are increasingly likely to seek care somewhere else,’ he told newsGP.
 
‘So, the findings are a reflection that GPs are making sure that people can access their care in an easy way, in a simple way.
 
‘It also talked about the importance of not just what we do in the consultation, but the importance of a warm welcome to the practice and also the need for follow-up.’
 
But as cost-of-living pressures continue to impact all Australians, the report found patients are not only asking for cheaper care, ‘they want value to be more visible’.
 
‘They want practitioners to “explain the breakdown of costs better”, “advertise fees before I book”, and make clearer what is included in the consultation fee, such as follow-up calls or result discussions,’ the report said.
 
‘Value also depends on whether care feels worthwhile: being “listened to, not brushed off”, receiving useful advice, having enough time and leaving with clear next steps.
 
‘The message is that patients are more likely to accept cost when the price feels fair, transparent and matched by meaningful care.’
 
NAB Head of Behavioural and Industry Economics Dean Pearson said the findings highlight the importance of understanding the patient experience beyond the consultation itself.
 
‘The Australians surveyed continue to report strong levels of satisfaction with the care they receive, which is one of the most encouraging findings in this year’s research,’ he said.
 
‘What is changing is the importance patients place on the experience surrounding that care. From making appointments and understanding costs through to clear communication and knowing what happens next, these factors increasingly influence how people engage with healthcare.
 
‘These insights reflect the views and experiences of Australians who participated in the research and are intended to help healthcare businesses better understand what matters most to their patients.’
 
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