“Well-supported GPs drive superior patient care: Health of the Nation”
07 Oct 2025
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has launched its 2025 General Practice: Health of the Nation report in Canberra, on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country. Now in its ninth year, the report highlights the increasing role of preventive care and multidisciplinary team care in general practice, showing that GP appointments are becoming longer as patient care becomes more complex.
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright presented the report at Parliament House on 7 October alongside members of the College Board, Chief Medical Officer Professor Michael Kidd, and politicians including Federal Health Minister Mark Butler, GP and Independent MP Dr Sophie Scamps, and Liberal MP Anne Ruston.
Based on a survey of more than 2,400 GPs nationwide, the report shows both the strengths of general practice and the challenges faced by GPs. Dr Wright said the findings support the College’s key advocacy priorities.
“Preventive care and the management of complex and chronic conditions by GPs, supported by appropriate funding for longer consultations, keeps patients healthier for longer and reduces hospital visits,” Dr Wright said.
The report shows that GPs are managing increasingly complex cases, with mental health remaining the most common reason for appointments – 71 per cent of GPs listed it among their top reasons for patient visits. On average, consultations now take 19.7 minutes, and 68 per cent of GPs identified the growing complexity of cases as the biggest challenge facing the profession. Additionally, 86 per cent of GPs support patients with conditions usually treated by specialists, and 72 per cent manage conditions that might otherwise be seen in hospital emergency departments or urgent care clinics.
To better support GPs, the RACGP is calling for a 40 per cent increase in Medicare rebates for longer consultations (Level C and D) and a 25 per cent increase in rebates for GP mental health care items.
The report also highlights the benefits of multidisciplinary team care, with more than 80 per cent of GPs agreeing that it improves patient outcomes. However, 79 per cent cited a lack of government funding and incentives as a barrier to providing these models of care.
“General practice remains a cost-effective part of the health system, providing high-quality, accessible care,” Dr Wright said. “There is a strong case for policymakers to invest in GPs to reduce costs across the health system and enable GPs to work to their full scope.”
The report notes that while hospital expenditure per person has increased by more than 30 per cent since 2014–15, general practice funding has largely remained unchanged. Dr Wright emphasised the need to increase rebates for longer consultations, particularly for female GPs, who are more likely to provide care in mental health and women’s health. Additional funding is also needed to expand multidisciplinary care teams and grow the GP workforce.
For the first time, the report examined experiences of racism in healthcare. Around 20 per cent of GPs reported experiencing racism from a patient in the past year, and 10 per cent from a colleague, while almost one-third had observed racism directed at patients.
Administrative burden remains a challenge, with nearly 80 per cent of GPs dissatisfied with the amount of administrative work. Despite these pressures, patients continue to value GPs highly, with 80 per cent of patients having a preferred GP and seeing them as their first point of care.
Dr Wright concluded that the report reinforces the importance of well-supported GPs in delivering better health outcomes. “Targeted investment in the GP workforce, patient rebates, and multidisciplinary care will secure the future of general practice and improve access to high-quality care for all Australians.”
The full 2025 General Practice: Health of the Nation report is available on the RACGP website.
Source: RACGP, General Practice: Health of the Nation 2025
