Health of the Nation 2024: Influx of trainee GPs amid increased job satisfaction

Queenslanders could find it easier to secure a doctor’s appointment, as general practice is showing signs of a revival. Find out why.

There is increased job satisfaction and recruitment among GPs. (File picture)

Queenslanders could find it easier to secure a doctor appointment, as general practice is showing signs of a revival with record numbers of general practitioner trainees secured for next year and more doctors reporting they have increased bulk-billing.

Rising numbers of GPs are reporting improved job satisfaction and are recommending the specialty to trainee doctors, who have typically snubbed going into primary care health.

As the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners releases positive signs of a turnaround in community healthcare in its annual Health of the Nation report on Tuesday, its chief has called for the federal government to jump on the comeback trail with a 20 per cent increase to all Medicare rebates for 20-minute and longer consultations, with additional increases for rural and remote communities.

One-quarter of the 3000 GPs surveyed for the 2024 report said they were able to bulk-bill more patients since incentive payments for bulk-billing were tripled.

College president Nicole Higgins said: “GP clinics are still under pressure after decades of underinvestment and the Medicare freeze.

“The tripling of bulk-billing incentives for healthcare cardholders, pensioners and children has helped GPs bulk-bill more patients but too many Australians are missing out.”

Job satisfaction for the country’s GPs has improved, with 73 per cent content in their work compared with 66 per cent last year, and 44 per cent are recommending general practice, up from 38 per cent last year.

“We need meaningful investment in patients’ rebates to make essential healthcare affordable for all Australians. Increasing patients’ rebates is the most direct and cost-efficient way to increase bulk billing,” Dr Higgins said.

While both rural and general GP training places are oversubscribed for 2025, the college is calling for funding for a further 100 GPs annually for five years and the implementation of a wide range of GP attraction and retention initiatives to keep up with the demand from a skyrocketing population. The health department predicts a shortage of 5560 GPs by 2033.

“Work to avoid this shortfall must start now. We know funding gets results,” Dr Higgins said.

The college is calling for established targets for universities of 50 per cent of medical graduates selecting GP training, linked to Commonwealth supported places funding.

The report shows that general practice remains Australia’s most accessed health service with more than 22m people seeing a GP in 2023 and 54 per cent seeing a GP within 24 hours when urgently needed.

“The majority of practices in Australia are multidisciplinary with GPs, practice nurses, and allied health professionals working together to get the best results for patients, and three in five are expanding services – they can do more if funded,” the president said.

BY THE NUMBERS

● 90 per cent people visit GP for essential healthcare

● 71 per cent of patients have psych issues

● 19 minutes is average consult

● 25 per cent GPs bulk-billing more due to incentive payments

● $78 per consultation was average cost of 20-minute consultation

● 81 per cent of GPs would practice longer with improved remuneration

● 32 per cent of GPs plan to retire in next five years

● 44 per cent doctors recommending the career up 6 per cent from last year

Source: Health of the Nation 2024