Learn

The continuing underinvestment and lack of reform in general practice increases overall health expenditure, reduces access and quality of healthcare, and widens the gap in poor health outcomes for vulnerable communities (e.g. people living in rural and remote locations, socio-economically disadvantage communities, and Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islander people).

This report explores and quantifies the key drivers and outcomes in the variance between the demand and supply of the general practitioner (GP) workforce, to understand the scale of the GP workforce supply shortfall.

The impact of the shortfall in GP workforce supply is already being seen, with growing inequities in healthcare access, poorer patient health outcomes, and increased expenditure on costly hospital services. Without immediate action this spiral will continue, and the sustainability of our healthcare system will be at risk.

Details

1. Develop a broad understanding of the impact on health and healthcare of issues facing the general practitioner workforce.
2. Name the underlying factors contributing to the projected shortfall in GP supply
3. List the reforms identified as necessary to better support the general practitioner workforce.