Key Facts:
https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/fewer-australians-delaying-use-health-services
Data released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows an encouraging fall in the proportion of Australians delaying or not using selected health services when needed, and strong patient-experience ratings for medical specialists and hospital doctors.
The proportion of people who reported that cost was a reason for delaying or not using the following health services when needed decreased in 2024-25 compared to 2023-24:
- Medical Specialists (8.6% compared to 9.8%)
- GPs (7.7% compared to 8.8%)
The ABS Patient Experiences survey also records high ratings for medical specialists on core measures of respectful, attentive care: 78.5% of people reported that medical specialists always listened to patients carefully (ranked #2), and 83.4% reported specialists always showed respect (ranked #2).
"Those numbers matter," said Dr Vida Viliunas, President of the Australian Society of Anaesthetists. "They confirm what clinicians know: fewer Australians are delaying care, and when they see medical specialists they are overwhelmingly treated with respect, listened to carefully, and given adequate time. Our specialists are delivering high-quality, compassionate care — and that deserves to be recognised."
The findings are welcome but do reveal some complexity that must discussed regarding access to specialist care.
"Good experiences for those who get care cannot be the whole story," Dr Viliunas said. "We are pleased the ABS shows Australians who see specialists generally report respectful, attentive care — but we are equally concerned that cost and capacity barriers continue to prevent many from getting to that point. That's why MBS and Private Health Insurance rebates need to reflect the costs of delivering these treatments. We need policy that preserves both the quality of specialist care and equitable access to it."
"Patient satisfaction and clinician professionalism are strengths of our system that we should celebrate, but we must not let those strengths distract from the very real access and cost problems affecting many Australians," Dr Viliunas said. "The ABS data gives us a clearer picture of patient experience; now it's time to use that evidence to fix the remaining gaps in access and affordability."
About us:
About the Australian Society of Anaesthetists The ASA represents anaesthetists working across Australia in private, public and mixed practice settings. Our mission is to promote and support high-quality anaesthesia care, advocate for safe working conditions and fair remuneration, and ensure that patient access to specialist anaesthesia is preserved and enhanced.
