Many can’t afford to see a doctor

The number of people who can’t afford to visit a GP on the Central Coast has increased by 370 per cent over the past four years, according to new research.

A report titled Access Denied: Australians Locked Out of Quality Healthcare was commissioned by peak social services body NCOSS and conducted by the University of Canberra.

NCOSS chief executive Cara Varian said the report found that patient experiences with vital health services including GPs, specialists and dentists in NSW had gone backwards since its 2020 report and that regional areas were more heavily impacted than metropolitan areas.

“This report illustrates that the health system is broken,” Varian said.

“When people can’t afford the most fundamental medical care it leads to bad health outcomes and puts pressure on hospitals.

“These statistics are particularly alarming in regional areas and are a wake-up call for the NSW and Commonwealth Governments to improve affordability and out-of-pocket costs for all Australians.”

The key statistics for the Central Coast region include: the number of people who delayed or avoided visiting the GP due to cost increased 370 per cent since 2020; people waiting 24-plus hours for urgent GP care increased more than 110 per cent; almost three in 10 people wait longer than acceptable to see a specialist; and one in four people visit EDs due to their GP being unavailable, with more than half having a long-term health condition

“This report shows that people in regional NSW are copping the brunt of a stretched health system and that financial pressures have put healthcare out of reach for too many people,” Varian said.

“Whether it’s visiting your doctor or your dentist, we need to make healthcare more accessible for people outside of metropolitan areas.”

NCOSS recommends governments should: improve affordability and reduce out-of-pocket costs, particularly for vulnerable populations; enhance healthcare access and availability in regional areas; provide targeted support to groups experiencing the most significant declines in healthcare experiences; and address the growing pressure on health services, including wait times and time spent with patients.

The report draws on the 2023 patient experience survey (PES) component of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Multipurpose Household Survey (MPHS) and original data estimations produced by the University of Canberra for NCOSS.