The General Practice: Health of the Nation report provides insights into the state of general practice in Australia, including patient access to care, GP job satisfaction, workforce information and emerging health issues. The report uses Health of the Nation survey data, as well as government and stakeholder statistics. Each year, the report has a topic of interest. This year dual topics were selected, and members given the option to complete both sections of the survey: multidisciplinary care and preventive care in general practice.
The 2025 edition of Health of the Nation shows GPs remain highly accessible as experts in providing long-term, whole-person, safe, and comprehensive care. Last year GPs provided 172 million health services to 22.6 million patients across Australia. In 2023–24, 99% of people reported that they were able to see a GP when they needed general practice care, and more than half of the population could access urgent medical care from a GP within 24 hours. Patients continue to rate the care they receive from their GP highly. More than 88% of patients report their GP always or often spent enough time with them, 94% reported their GP showed respect, and more than 91% reported their GP listened carefully.
However, the cost of care for patients continues to increase and the proportion of patients always being bulk billed remains low. Patients are paying a larger share of the true cost of their medical visits, as Medicare rebates have not kept up with the cost of providing care, placing greater financial burden on households. Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows the proportion of people delaying GP care due to cost has increased in the previous 12 months from 7% to 8.8%.
GPs continue to highlight their essential role in the provision of mental health care and managing increasingly complex needs in primary care. Mental health remains the most common reason for patient visits, led by anxiety and depression. Average consult lengths have risen to almost 20 minutes, reflecting a long-term trend of increasing complexity in consultations. This growing complexity of patient presentations was the most common challenge nominated by GPs, with 68% of GPs raising it as an issue. GPs also identified health system fragmentation and communication issues as leading concerns for the future.
The survey results on preventive health shine a light on a major missed opportunity for our health sector. As the most accessed health professionals in the healthcare system, GPs are uniquely placed to provide comprehensive and coordinated preventive care. There is a strong GP appetite for preventive care, with 83% of GPs wanting to provide more, but only one in three have the time to provide it to their patients. Funding gaps, time pressure, and the complexity of patient presentations are key barriers.
GPs indicate multidisciplinary team (MDT) care is both valued and expanding. More than half of GPs are engaged in MDT care, with 65% wanting to participate in more. Confidence in the value of MDT care is widespread, even among GPs not currently working in team-based models. However, workforce shortages, lack of funding, collaboration time, and infrastructure gaps remain limiting factors for this type of care.
GPs continue to bridge gaps in the health system, especially in rural and remote areas. Nine in 10 GPs report regularly managing conditions typically seen by non-GP specialists. Limited specialist access and cost barriers drive this trend, underlining the need for improved integration and funding that reflects the true value of general practice. More than 70% of GPs regularly manage presentations that would typically be seen in emergency departments or urgent care clinics (UCCs). Despite this, only 14% of GPs support UCC expansion in their region, citing concerns about care fragmentation and workforce strain.
Racism remains a key challenge in the healthcare environment. Three in 10 GPs have observed racism toward patients in the broader system, and nearly one in five have personally experienced racism from patients. While many GPs feel confident addressing these issues, 11% do not. This underscores the need for systemic change to eliminate racism and embed cultural safety to ensure equity and safety for both patients and healthcare providers.
GPs remain deeply committed to their profession. Almost half of GPs would recommend general practice as a career, up from 38% in 2023. This suggests a potential stabilising professional sentiment. However, nearly seven in 10 GPs continue to report burnout, with the majority being dissatisfied with their hours, administrative burden, and time spent on care not funded through Medicare. Regarding workforce capacity, one in three GPs intends to stop practising within five years. Importantly, a large percentage (63%) are also considering reducing their time spent practising. With the workforce ageing and many considering reducing their practising hours, more will need to be done to support GP workforce participation and capacity.