NSW patients and GPs struggling amid rising costs, report finds
Dr. Amanda Cohn, Greens NSW Spokesperson for Health including Mental Health and a former country GP, has expressed serious concern in response to new data revealing a worsening crisis in GP accessibility in New South Wales.
The latest Cleanbill Blue Report released today shows decreasing bulk billing rates, and an increase in the out-of-pocket cost per appointment to $44.05 in NSW, an increase of 4.3% in the last year and above the national average.
Dr Cohn said the findings paint a stark picture:
“People who can’t afford to see a GP are putting off essential health care, leading to delayed diagnoses and missed opportunities for early intervention and preventive care.
“The escalating cost of seeing a GP not only harms our health, but costs governments more when people end up in hospital or needing specialist services for conditions that could have been managed in primary care.
“Study after study has proven that being able to see a regular GP is so important for long-term health outcomes and to reduce the impact of chronic illnesses.
“Communities across NSW and especially in the regions know full well that waits are getting longer and it’s costing more out-of-pocket to see a GP. This new data paints a clear picture that the state and federal government cannot ignore.”
The Greens have called for the federal government to intervene by providing public clinics where people can see a GP, dentist, nurse or psychologist with no out-of-pocket cost, as well as tripling the bulk-billing incentive for patients of existing GP clinics.
In NSW, Dr Cohn has called for subsidies for doctors choosing to specialise in general practice similar to those in Victoria and Queensland:
“It’s egregious that making sure we can see a doctor when we need to isn’t a funding priority for the major parties while they continue to fund tax breaks and subsidies for property investors and fossil fuel companies.”
Cleanbill is a healthcare directory that annually collects and publishes nationwide data, including on GP clinic billing practices and availability, to improve healthcare accessibility and transparency.
Media contact: Josh Appleton - [email protected] - 0439 833 628