Act now: Health of the Nation survey closing soon

With GPs across Australia working through a time of unprecedented change for the profession, the RACGP is urging doctors to speak up.
 
Just days are left to take part in the college’s annual Health of the Nation survey, and leaders from across the RACGP are urging anyone who has not completed the survey to do so.
 
In 2023, 96% of members said advocacy is important to them, and the RACGP says it is the Health of the Nation survey that helps it prioritise those advocacy efforts. 
 
For RACGP Board Chair Dr Siân Goodson, who has been a GP for more than 20 years, she thinks it is ‘still the best job in medicine’.
 
However, she said that with the many challenges currently facing the profession, it is more important than ever that the college has evidence to inform advocacy and highlight the realities facing GPs.
 
‘The Health of the Nation survey is instrumental in ensuring the RACGP advocates for the crucial issues most affecting GPs and our patients,’ Dr Goodson said.
 
‘It guides our college to focus efforts on areas that will have maximum impact and benefit. 
 
‘Our stakeholders, including the Federal Government, take notice of the results of this survey. It is used to help inform policy by decisionmakers and widely referenced by media and other professional groups.’
 
Meanwhile, RACGP WA Chair Dr Ramya Raman described the report as something that is ‘a small action with a big impact’.
 
‘It captures the real-world challenges we face in practice, from workforce pressures to patient access and funding issues,’ she said.
 
‘Taking the time to contribute helps ensure the data reflects our lived experience and strengthens the evidence base for advocacy.
 
‘This evidence is essential for pushing for change, whether that’s improving funding models, addressing workforce shortages, or supporting GP wellbeing.
 
‘Ultimately, it helps secure a stronger, more sustainable future for general practice and better outcomes for our communities.’
 
Since its inception almost a decade ago, the Health of the Nation has gone on to create tangible change.
 
Last year, the report helped the RACGP secure commitments from the major political parties to match wages and leave entitlements for GPs in training.
 
And this year, Health of the Nation’s topics of interest are multidisciplinary team care and preventive health activities. 
 
Questions included will cover GPs’ concerns for the future of the profession, red tape, frustration with digital systems, workload and burnout
 
RACGP Rural Chair Associate Professor Michael Clements described the survey results as ‘the most comprehensive snapshot of what our GP communities are seeing, thinking and doing’.
 
‘Health of the Nation is so important for the advocacy and advancement of the profession,’ he said.
 
‘We use stories, quotes and data from the survey in countless media stories and position statements, and it’s common to see lines of advocacy come straight out of the Health of the Nation report and into the Hansard at Parliament House in Canberra as the issues are discussed.’
 
The 2025 Health of the Nation survey will close at 11.59 pm on Sunday 4 May – members can check their email for a personalised link to complete the survey, or visit the RACGP website.
 
Those who complete the survey, along with a bonus question, have the chance to win a free 12-month RACGP membership for 2025–26.
 
Members who complete the survey will also get access to a new CPD activity to reflect on their experience and ways of working within multidisciplinary teams.
 
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