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Access to healthcare in Australia isn’t equal for everyone. Young adults, people with chronic diseases, people from lower socio-economic areas and people without private health insurance report significant challenges in being able to access the care they need.
These are just some of the findings from the National Consumer Sentiment Survey (NCSS) 2024 Report, new national research published this week by the Consumers Health Forum of Australia.
The NCSS surveyed 5,000 Australians with a broad range of characteristics, views and experiences within the healthcare system. Its overall aim was to improve understanding of the healthcare system from consumers’ perspectives, with a focus on primary care, to better inform healthcare delivery and planning.
Consumers told us that they want better access both in terms of availability and location of care. For some, health navigation is a key issue. After all, if you can’t navigate the system, you can’t really get the care you actually need.
Unsurprisingly, affordability of care still impacts those seeking care. Reducing the cost of care and medicines has been a strong theme in the 2024 NCSS.
We certainly acknowledge recent Government interventions to reduce the cost of medicines and care, but the NCSS is showing us that more needs to be done.
Shockingly, the NCSS also found that one in 10 Australians couldn’t afford the medical care they needed last year. Further to this, 25 percent of consumers reported that there had been a time in the past 12 months when they didn’t see a doctor when needed.
While for some cost was the issue, for many more it was actually the lack of workforce availability which made them delay or not seek care altogether.
When asked to rank the top five areas for improvement, consumers put more doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers at the top (66%).
This was followed by the cost of care and and/or medicines (59%), better access to care (42%), better quality of care (26%) and listening to patients more (25%).
Postcode lottery
As I go around Australia meeting consumers and healthcare organisations, I see how the maldistribution of the health workforce deeply impacts regional and rural parts of Australia.
While this is not a new problem, it continues to worry me that in 2025, Australians are going without the care they need, simply because of the postcode they live in. The postcode lottery of Australian healthcare still exists.
But where there are those who miss out, there are also winners.
According to the NCSS, if you are white, can speak English fluently, have a good income and live in a high socio-economic area, then guess what? You’re actually more likely to be having a good experience with the healthcare system.
I don’t say this to make people in this demographic feel bad, but rather to highlight the point that the healthcare system now is set up to help a certain part of our community thrive.
We need to move to a system where everyone experiences this same positive experience, where people can access and afford the healthcare they need, when and where they need it.
We shared the NCSS 2024 results with some of the members of the CHF Consumer Assembly.
Ally from Mount Gambier, SA told us they weren’t surprised by the results: “I found the lack of workforce really relatable. In Mount Gambier, we’re currently experiencing a major shortage of GPs. I have had to defer creating a chronic healthcare plan because there are no appointments available with a GP, which I’ve been told is necessary to complete and authorise this form.
“At least one person in our community travelled to Warrnambool, about one and a half hours away, just to see a GP, because he couldn’t get into any clinics locally.
“While the Government says they’re working on it, that unfortunately does little to address the immediate need in our community. Clinics here are trying their best to attract staff to the area. At the practice I attend, it is a waiting game until a new GP is able to start before I can see anyone.”
Stigma and discrimination
Unfortunately, consumers are still facing stigma, discrimination and not being taken seriously when seeking healthcare, with more than eight percent of respondents facing some level of discrimination in the healthcare system.
While this figure might seem low, we need to remember that eight percent of the Australian population is more than 1.5 million people and that feeling discriminated against does lead to people either stopping treatment or never seeking it in the first place.
Aunty Maureen, a proud Budjiti woman living on Bidjura country in Southwest Queensland and a Member of our Consumer Assembly told us that: “When you go into the healthcare system and you identify as an Aboriginal person, people’s demeanour changes straight away, you wouldn’t think that it would in 2025, but it does.
“We sort of knew that this discrimination existed but after the [Voice] referendum, it really came out. People don’t think racism is still an issue, but it is.
“When I go into the system outside of my local area, I feel people treating me differently when I tell them I am Aboriginal.”
Another Consumer Assembly member, Kush from WA, who is a public health student and lives with a disability and chronic condition, told us about not being taken seriously by health professionals because of his age.
“In the past I have found it difficult to be a young person and be taken seriously by medical practitioners. For me, I have noticed that when I bring my parents to appointments, suddenly I am taken more seriously, even though I’m still saying the same things,” Kush said.
Clearly, we need to be doing better in stamping out all forms of racism and discrimination in the Australian healthcare sector, and while there is some good work being done to combat this, the NCSS report reminds us that the job is not done.
Support for action and investment
Consumers told us overwhelmingly in the NCSS 2024 that they want government to spend more money on healthcare.
The survey asked consumers for their thoughts on government spending levels on healthcare, with the majority (56%) feeling that the current spend was too low.
What we’re seeing here is a real appetite for responsible investment into healthcare. Australians are comfortable with governments spending more on health, provided it’s done wisely.
The NCSS 2024 Report shows us that consumers will look favourably upon any government initiative that makes healthcare more affordable and accessible.
The survey data highlights that there are multiple barriers stopping consumers from accessing the care they need, including cost, physical access limitations like lack of public transport, and inflexible after-hours services.
This is the first of four annual survey reports. We are currently analysing our 2025 survey, which includes sentiment from a further 5,000 Australians.
We’re calling on the Government and all Members of the 48th Parliament to use these insights to drive the changes consumers want to see.
We know that change is possible, and by working together with consumers, healthcare professionals and government, we can achieve an Australia where healthcare is more accessible, affordable and fairer, and truly meets the needs of every Australian.
This article originally appeared on Croakey.org.
Dr Elizabeth Deveny is currently the CEO of Consumers Health Forum of Australia, the national independent peak body for health consumers. Her recent roles include CEO of South Eastern Melbourne PHN, CEO of Bayside Medical Local and Chair of Southern Metropolitan Partnership.
The statements or opinions expressed in this article reflect the views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official policy of the AMA, the MJA or InSight+ unless so stated.
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