News

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Have your say on the Health of the Nation

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Consultation lengths, workforce retention, scope of practice and tech innovations are just some factors impacting the day-to-day life of a GP.
 
And now is the time for GPs across Australia to share their views on these issues and more, in the RACGP’s annual Health of the Nation survey.
 
Now in its 10th year, the survey provides the college with a crucial overview of general practice across the nation, providing data and insights that inform the RACGP’s advocacy work.
 
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright says given the many changes and challenges GPs are facing, it is now more important than ever that GPs from all over Australia share their views.
 
‘I’m really excited to see Health of the Nation open again,’ he told newsGP.
 
‘The survey highlights the challenges that GPs are facing in providing care for our patients, but also the new things that they are doing.
 
‘It helps us detect when there are significant changes in what’s happening in general practice; everything from what we’re treating, how we’re feeling about the future, as well as how we’re managing the important work that we’re providing to more than two million Australians every week.
 
‘The survey provides really important information that’s critical for the advocacy work that the college does.’
 
The focus of this year’s survey is ‘general practice at the heart of a thriving health system’, a theme that aligns with and reinforces the college’s strategy.
 
‘It’s important that we really do see supported and properly resourced general practice as being the key to addressing many of the health system’s problems,’ Dr Wright said.
 
‘We know that GPs are providing high quality and increasingly complex care for an ageing population, and we’ve stepped up to the mark to do that.’
 
Dr Wright said the survey not only informs the college’s advocacy work, but reinforces existing positions.
 
‘For instance, in last year’s survey, the college was keen to understand GPs’ attitudes towards working in multidisciplinary teams,’ he said.
 
‘Not surprisingly, the vast majority of GPs said that they already do this, and they would do more of it if there was proper funding that enabled them to do it.’
 
He said another area explored last year was the large scale of health promotion and prevention provided by practices, ‘but really showing that ongoing lack of time and lack of remuneration are the main barriers for us doing more of that’.
 
Dr Wright said the creation of the survey 10 years ago was the result of the BEACH survey no longer providing a snapshot of what was occurring in general practice.

‘It was important recognition by the college that the profession really needs to understand its own issues and challenges,’ he said.
 
‘The areas highlighted in the survey have really been the drivers for a lot of the college’s positions and advocacy; whether it’s been the increasing complexity of the work that we’re providing, increasing consultation lengths and their complexity, the challenges of workforce retention and decreasing interest in practice ownership, they are all things that have been fully informed by the work of the survey.’
 
Those eligible to complete the survey are:
 

• Fellowed members
• vocationally registered members  
• Fellowed and vocationally registered CPD-only participants  
• GPs in training.

 
Members who complete the survey by its closing date of 3 May have the chance to win a free RACGP membership for 2026–27, and will unlock a new CPD activity.
 
Dr Wright said that, given the diversity of general practice across Australia, it is vital to have a wide range of voices in the survey responses.
 
‘The care that we’re providing to so many patients varies across the country, and so we do get different insights by having a good-sized sample from every state,’ he said.
 
‘We can also look at responses across our rural faculty, variations according to the length of time since GPs have graduated, as well as identifying the priorities for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and rural faculties.
 
‘We really want your voice to be heard.’
 
The 2026 Health of the Nation survey closes at 11.59 PM (AEST) on Sunday, 3 May.
 
Log in below to join the conversation.

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general practice funding GP survey GP workforce Health of the Nation RACGP advocacy

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