RACGP Report Highlights Growing Confidence in Australian General Practice
28 Oct 2026
General practitioners from across Australia joined politicians and healthcare leaders in Canberra for the launch of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners’ (RACGP) 2026 Health of the Nation report.
Now in its tenth year, the report examines the current state of general practice and provides an opportunity for GPs to raise concerns and discuss priorities directly with policymakers.
Speaking at Parliament House on Wednesday, RACGP President Dr Michael Wright praised GPs for their ability to respond to the changing healthcare needs of Australians. He said the report gave him confidence in the profession’s future.
Dr Wright pointed to growing interest in general practice, with around 6,000 GPs in training and strong enthusiasm among doctors entering the profession. He also said he had recently congratulated more than 500 doctors who had become Fellows.
The report highlights several positive developments, including improved access to GPs, more patients being bulk billed at every visit, an increase in full-time GPs and record numbers of doctors undertaking GP training.
Job satisfaction has also increased, with 76% of surveyed GPs saying they were happy in their work. More than half said they would recommend general practice as a career.
However, the survey of more than 2,700 GPs also identified ongoing challenges, including rising business costs and increasingly complex patient needs.
Almost nine in 10 GPs said they had treated conditions usually managed by non-GP specialists during the previous 12 months. Around three-quarters had also cared for patients with conditions typically treated in emergency departments or urgent care clinics.
Dr Wright said Medicare funding needed to better reflect the time required to manage complex health conditions, particularly as Australia's population ages and chronic disease becomes a greater concern.
He called for better funding for longer consultations, saying this could help GPs manage health problems earlier, improve patient outcomes and reduce the need for costly hospital and emergency care.
Federal Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Rebecca White also addressed the launch. She shared the story of her grandfather, Dr Peter Pitney, who worked as a GP in Tasmania until he was 80.
Ms White said the report showed that trust, care and respect remained central to general practice, while recognising the significant pressures facing the profession.
She also highlighted the Federal Government’s $8.5 billion investment in bulk billing.
A panel discussion featuring Ms White, independent federal MP and GP Dr Sophie Scamps, Dr Wright and RACGP Board Chair Dr Siân Goodson examined issues including gender bias in healthcare, health misinformation, complex patient needs and longer consultations.
Dr Goodson said the report showed that many GPs remained positive about their profession. She highlighted findings that 99% of patients could see a GP when needed, while around two-thirds could see their preferred GP when required.
Dr Wright also emphasised the broader benefits of investing in general practice, including its role in supporting individuals, families and communities, as well as its comparatively low environmental impact.
RACGP Report Highlights Growing Confidence in Australian General Practice
Source: Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), 2026 Health of the Nation report.