The eighth edition of the General practice: Health of the Nation report provides the opportunity to examine the current state of general practice and track changes over the short and medium terms. This survey is an important opportunity to forecast possible longer-term trends in general practice and consider the implications for patients, GPs and the broader healthcare sector.
Survey
This report draws directly from the reflections and experiences of GPs and GPs in training via the RACGP Health of the Nation survey. The survey spans eight years and has historically involved RACGP Fellows from all parts of Australia.
The 2024 online survey, undertaken by The Navigators in close collaboration with the RACGP, ran from 10 April to 12 May 2024. Survey respondents covered a wide range of demographics across the GP community. The 2024 survey included:
- RACGP Fellows
- vocationally registered RACGP members
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD)-only RACGP members
- GPs in training.
Responses received were split into practising GPs, non-practising GPs and GPs in training. Demographics of the 3006 practising GPs were as follows:a
- 56% female, 43% male, 1% identifying as non-binary, transgender or intersex, or preferring to self-describe
- 7% aged <35 years, 24% 35–44 years, 27% 45–54 years, 25% 55–64 years, 18% ≥65 years
- 10% Western Australia, 1% Northern Territory, 10% South Australia, 22% Queensland, 26% New South Wales, 2% Australian Capital Territory, 24% Victoria, 4% Tasmania
- 63% in major cities, 21% in inner-regional, 12% in outer-regional, 5% in remote and very remote
Demographics of the 180 non-practising GPs were as follows:b
- 51% female, 49% male, 0% identifying as non-binary, transgender or intersex, or preferring to self-describe
- 7% aged <35 years, 13% 35–44 years, 9% 45–54 years, 22% 55–64 years, 48% ≥65 years
Demographics of the 289 GPs in training were as follows:
- 60% female, 39% male, 1% identifying as non-binary, transgender or intersex, or preferring to self-describe
- 41% aged <35 years, 37% 35–44 years, 16% 45–54 years, 4% 55–64 years, 1% ≥65 years
- 9% Western Australia, 1% Northern Territory, 22% South Australia, 21% Queensland, 34% New South Wales, 2% Australian Capital Territory, 22% Victoria, 3% Tasmania
- 38% in major cities, 36% in inner-regional, 20% in outer-regional, 16% in remote and very remote
This report also draws on data collected in previous editions of the RACGP’s Health of the Nation survey which was undertaken by EY Sweeny from 2017 to 2021.
Other data sources
This report collates data from various sources to provide a unique overview of the general practice sector, including:
- the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
- the Australian Bureau of Statistics
- the Department of Health and Aged Care
- Productivity Commission
- Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand.