Date: March 2026
There has never been a more important time for New South Wales to invest in primary care. The State’s health system spending is exploding, as it grapples with a number of issues, including an ageing population and an epidemic of chronic disease increase in mental health concerns/diagnosis, which is resulting in more people in New South Wales requiring more complex and expensive care.
General practice is the most cost-effective investment a government can make in healthcare with research showing every $1 invested in primary care returns $1.60 in healthcare system benefits including reduced preventable hospitalisations and emergency department presentations and improved workforce productivity.
The proposals in the RACGP NSW Pre-Budget Submission 2026-27 seek to ensure that people in New South Wales can continue to access the high-quality health care required to keep people healthy and release pressure on the hospital system, by preventing them from needing to be there, and supporting those that do to access care quicker and return to community-based care as soon as possible.
Read the submission
RACGP NSW Pre-Budget Submission 2026-27 (PDF)