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Chapter 1: Current and emerging issues

1.2 Issues that require policy action

As was found in previous Health of the Nation surveys, funding issues remain the most important health policy area for GPs, with 26% ranking Medicare rebates as their highest priority and 9% naming the creation of new funding models for primary care as their highest priority (Figure 5).

Mental health has been highly ranked as a priority for government action each year since 2018, reflecting the most common presentations GPs see in their practice. These issues have been consistently raised as among the most important health policy areas for GPs since 2018.

Figure 5. GPs want the government to prioritise Medicare rebates, mental health and creating new funding models for primary care

GPs want the government to prioritise Medicare rebates, mental health and creating new funding models for primary care

*Showing the top 10 out of 23 response options.
Data of less than 5% not labelled.
Measure: GP responses to the question, ‘From the [randomised] list below, please rank the three top priority health policy issues that you think the Federal Government should focus on.’
Base: Responses to survey question, n = 1386.
Source: EY Sweeney, RACGP GP Fellow Survey, May 2021.

Aged care services are the fourth-highest priority policy area among surveyed GPs, reflecting current events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

When asked what would make them more likely to work in aged care, two-thirds of GPs indicated better remuneration via MBS items and more than half named fewer administrative burdens, more clinical staff in aged care settings (such as nurses, general practice registrars or allied health) and improved IT infrastructure (including interoperability with practice software) as key drivers (Figure 6).

Figure 6. Two-thirds of GPs indicate better MBS rebates in aged care are needed

Two-thirds of GPs indicate better MBS rebates in aged care are needed

Other responses in free text included nothing/no interest in aged care/no time, improved aged care standards, a more supportive work environment, politics, better access to facility, less on-call time.
Measure: GP responses to the question, ‘What would make you more likely to want to work in aged care [select all that apply]?’
Base: Survey respondents who had not worked in aged care in the past month, n = 1028.
Source: EY Sweeney, RACGP GP Fellow Survey, May 2021.

  • 8. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Health of older people. Canberra: AIHW, 2020.
  • 9. Welberry HJ, Jorm LR, Schaffer AL, et al. Psychotropic medicine prescribing and polypharmacy for people with dementia entering residential aged care: The influence of changing general practitioners. Med J Aust 2021; 215(3):130–36. doi:10.5694/mja2.51153.