Report on Government Services 2016
Chapter 10, Volume E
Primary and community health
This chapter reports on the performance of primary and community health services, which include general practice, pharmaceutical services, dentistry, allied health services, maternal and child health, alcohol and other drug treatment and other services.
The primary and community health sector is important in the prevention of ill health as well as the detection and management of illness and injury — by direct service provision and/or referral to acute (hospital) or other healthcare services, as appropriate.
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- Key Facts
- Indicator Framework
- Indicator Results
- Indigenous Data
This chapter reports on the performance of primary and community health services, which include general practice, pharmaceutical services, dentistry, allied health services, maternal and child health, alcohol and other drug treatment and other services.
The primary and community health sector is important in the prevention of ill health as well as the detection and management of illness and injury — by direct service provision and/or referral to acute (hospital) or other healthcare services, as appropriate.
- Total expenditure by all governments on primary and community health was around $29.0 billion in 2013-14.
- Australian Government expenditure on general practice in Australia was $8.3 billion in 2014 15. Of this, $7.7 billion, or $328 per person, comprised fee-for-service expenditure.
- Australian Government expenditure on the PBS was around $7.1 billion, or $299 per person, in 2014-15.
Primary and community health services aim to support and improve the health of Australians by:
- providing a universally accessible point of entry to the healthcare system
- promoting health and preventing illness
- providing timely and high quality healthcare that meets individual needs, throughout the lifespan — directly, and/or by facilitating access to the appropriate service(s)
- coordinating service provision to ensure continuity of care where more than one service type, and/or ongoing service provision, is required to meet individuals' healthcare needs
- the equitable and efficient delivery of best practice evidence-based interventions.
The performance indicator framework provides information on equity, efficiency and effectiveness, and distinguishes the outputs and outcomes of health services. The performance indicator framework shows which data are complete and comparable in the 2016 Report.
An overview of the Primary and community health performance indicator results are presented. Information to assist the interpretation of these data can be found in the indicator interpretation boxes in the Primary and community health chapter and attachment tables.
Equity — Access indicators
Availability of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines
PBS prescriptions filled at concessional rate, 2014-15
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | 91.2 | 91.4 | 90.8 | 87.8 | 92.3 | 93.2 | 84.6 | 82.5 | 90.9 |
Equity of access to general practitioners (GPs)
Availability of FSE GPs per 100 000 people, by region, 2014-15
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Major cities | 98.7 | 95.3 | 102.2 | 78.8 | 99.8 | .. | 69.2 | .. | 95.4 |
Outer regional, remote and very remote areas | 77.4 | 85.9 | 87.2 | 68.5 | 92.2 | 77.6 | .. | 70.6 | 80.9 |
Availability of GPs by sex, 2014-15
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FSE Female GPs per 100 000 females/Rate | 69.0 | 65.6 | 68.5 | 51.9 | 59.7 | 66.1 | 58.9 | 60.8 | 65.2 |
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FSE Male GPs per 100 000 males/ no. | 124.4 | 124.0 | 127.7 | 100.5 | 133.7 | 106.0 | 78.4 | 79.0 | 121.3 |
Availability of public dentists
FTE Dentists by region, per 100 000 people, 2014
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Major cities rate | 6.1 | 6.3 | 6.9 | 6.7 | 8.6 | -- | 7.0 | -- | 6.6 |
Remote and very remote rate | np | — | 10.8 | 6.5 | 3.3 | np | -- | 9.6 | 7.9 |
Early detection and early treatment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians
Older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians who received a health assessment, 2014-15
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | 30.8 | 19.8 | 39.9 | 35.0 | 23.8 | 18.2 | 24.1 | 38.4 | 32.7 |
Developmental health checks
Children receiving a fourth year developmental health check, 2014-15
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | 70.9 | 28.6 | 79.8 | 53.3 | 57.7 | 53.3 | 49.3 | 66.9 | 58.9 |
Effectiveness — Access indicators
Effectiveness of access to GPs
Bulk billing rates, 2014-15
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | 88.4 | 84.2 | 84.1 | 78.3 | 83.2 | 77.9 | 58.1 | 86.4 | 84.6 |
People deferring visits to GPs due to financial barriers, 2014-15
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | 3.2 ± 0.6 | 5.6 ± 0.8 | 5.4 ± 0.8 | 7.0 ± 1.3 | 5.5 ± 1.0 | 7.0 ± 1.5 | 9.7 ± 2.2 | 4.1 ± 1.8 | 5.0 ± 0.3 |
GP waiting times for urgent appointment, 2014-15 — less than 4 hours
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | 67.2 ± 3.2 | 65.7 ± 3.9 | 61.7 ± 7.8 | 58.1 ± 7.6 | 58.2 ± 8.4 | 53.3 ± 8.6 | 53.2 ± 10.6 | 74.1 ± 7.4 | 63.9 ± 2.4 |
Financial barriers to PBS medicines
People deferring treatment due to financial barriers, 2014-15
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | 6.9 ± 0.9 | 7.5 ± 0.9 | 8.5 ± 0.9 | 8.0 ± 1.4 | 8.6 ± 1.3 | 7.9 ± 1.2 | 7.4 ± 2.2 | 6.0 ± 2.2 | 7.6 ± 0.5 |
Public dentistry waiting times
Median time waited for public dental care, 2014-15
Effectiveness — Appropriateness indicators
GPs with vocational registration
GPs with vocational registration, 2014-15
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | 83.8 | 77.9 | 80.9 | 82.7 | 81.6 | 80.8 | 87.9 | 59.0 | 81.2 |
Management of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI)
Proportion of GP encounters for the management of acute URTI where systemic antibiotics were prescribed or supplied, April 2010 to March 2015
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rate | 31.5 ± 1.9 | 26.9 ± 2.1 | 34.5 ± 2.6 | 27.5 ± 4.4 | 27.8 ± 3.9 | 26.1 ± 6.3 | 27.6 ± 8.9 | 22.7 ± 9.4 | 30.2 ± 1.1 |
Prescriptions for oral antibiotics used to treat upper respiratory tract infections per 1000 people, 2014-15
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
rate | 326.4 | 334.3 | 307.7 | 197.5 | 321.2 | 324.2 | 177.2 | 90.1 | 305.2 |
Management of chronic disease
Uptake by Practices in the Practice Incentives Program (PIP) of the PIP Diabetes Incentive, 2014-15
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | 53.2 | 45.7 | 58.2 | 52.1 | 38.9 | 41.7 | 60.6 | 79.3 | 51.5 |
Effectiveness — Quality — Safety indicators
Electronic health information systems
General practices using electronic systems, May 2015
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | 89.3 | 91.5 | 89.1 | 87.6 | 90.8 | 89.0 | 87.3 | 86.2 | 89.6 |
Effectiveness — Quality — Responsiveness indicators
Patient satisfaction
Proportion of people who saw a GP in the previous 12 months where the practitioner always or often listened carefully to them, 2014-15
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | 90.9 ± 0.6 | 90.2 ± 0.4 | 89.8 ± 0.3 | 89.5 ± 1.0 | 90.9 ± 1.3 | 88.6 ± 1.7 | 89.8 ± 2.8 | 89.2 ± 2.0 | 90.3 ± 0.1 |
Proportion of people who saw a dental practitioner in the previous 12 months where the practitioner always or often listened carefully to them, 2014-15
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | 94.6 ± 1.3 | 94.3 ± 1.1 | 94.5 ± 2.0 | 94.6 ± 1.0 | 93.2 ± 2.3 | 94.2 ± 0.7 | 94.7 ± 2.0 | 95.6 ± 1.5 | 94.5 ± 0.4 |
Efficiency indicators
Cost to government of general practice per person
Age standardised fee-for-service expenditure per person on general practice, 2014-15
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
$ | 326.1 | 314.3 | 331.1 | 256.8 | 307.9 | 280.5 | 242.4 | 268.9 | 312.3 |
Outcome indicators
Child immunisation coverage
Children aged 60 to 63 months who were fully immunised, 2014-15
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | 92.7 | 92.6 | 92.3 | 90.6 | 90.9 | 92.6 | 93.2 | 92.4 | 92.3 |
Notifications of selected childhood diseases
Notifications of measles per 100 000 children aged 0-14 years, 2014-15
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
rate | 0.4 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.8 | – | np | 8.2 | np | 1.4 |
Source: Attachment table 10A.86
Participation for women in breast cancer screening
Participation rates for women in breast cancer screening, 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2014
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | 50.2 | 54.2 | 57.0 | 54.0 | 54.8 | 56.4 | 53.9 | 39.3 | 53.7 |
Participation for women in cervical screening
Participation rates for women in cervical screening, 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2014 (ASR)
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | 57.0 | 60.3 | 56.4 | 56.1 | 59.4 | 57.9 | 57.9 | 55.2 | 57.8 |
Influenza vaccination coverage for older people
Influenza vaccination coverage for people aged 65 years or over, 2009)
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rate | 72.7 | 75.0 | 74.6 | 72.9 | 81.3 | 77.5 | 78.0 | 69.3 | 74.6 |
Separations for selected potentially preventable hospitalisations
Separations for selected potentially preventable hospitalisations, 2013-14, per 1000 people
NSW | Vic | Qld | WA | SA | Tas | ACT | NT | Aust | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rate | 22.4 | 22.9 | 27.9 | 24.6 | 25.6 | 22.0 | 18.5 | 48.9 | 24.4 |
Legend
na Not available.
.. Not applicable.
- Nil or rounded to zero.
np Not published.
Source: Chapter 10 and Attachment 10APerformance indicator data for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this chapter are available in the attachment tables listed below. Contextual data and further supporting information can be found in the chapter.
Table number | Table title |
---|---|
Table 10A.20 | Approved providers of PBS medicines by PhARIA area, 2015 |
Table 10A.30 | Annual health assessments for older people by Indigenous status (per cent) |
Table 10A.31 | Older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who received an annual health assessment (per cent) |
Table 10A.32 | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who received a health check or assessment, by age (per cent) |
Table 10A.34 | Proportion of children receiving a fourth year developmental health check, by type of health check (per cent) |
Table 10A.38 | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people deferring access to GPs due to cost, 2012-13 (per cent) |
Table 10A.44 | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people deferring access to prescribed medication due to cost, 2012-13 (per cent) |
Table 10A.45 | Median waiting time for public dental care, NSW (days) |
Table 10A.46 | Median waiting time for public dental care, Victoria (days) |
Table 10A.47 | Median waiting time for public dental care, Queensland (days) |
Table 10A.48 | Median waiting time for public dental care, WA (days) |
Table 10A.49 | Median waiting time for public dental care, SA (days) |
Table 10A.50 | Median waiting time for public dental care, Tasmania (days) |
Table 10A.51 | Median waiting time for public dental care, ACT (days) |
Table 10A.52 | Median waiting time for public dental care, NT (days) |
Table 10A.66 | Proportion of people with asthma with a written asthma plan, by Indigenous status, by age, 2011-13 |
Table 10A.67 | Proportion of people with asthma with a written asthma plan, by Indigenous status |
Table 10A.74 | Practices in the Practice Incentives Program (PIP) using computers for clinical purposes |
Table 10A.75 | Practices in the Practice Incentives Program (PIP) using computers for clinical purposes, by region |
Table 10A.76 | Practices in the Practice Incentives Program (PIP) using computers for clinical purposes, by region, 2010 to 2012 |
Table 10A.77 | Client experience of GPs by remoteness, States and Territories |
Table 10A.78 | Client experience of GPs by remoteness, Australia |
Table 10A.79 | Client experience of GPs by remoteness, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Australia, 2012-13 |
Table 10A.91 | Participation rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women screened by BreastScreen Australia (24 month period) (first and subsequent rounds) (per cent) |
Table 10A.95 | Cervical screening rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women aged 20 to 69 years, who reported having a Pap smear at least every 2 years (per cent) |
Table 10A.98 | Proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years or over who were fully vaccinated against influenza and pneumococcal disease |
Table 10A.100 | Separations for selected potentially preventable hospitalisations by Indigenous status (per 1000 people) |
Table 10A.102 | Separations for selected potentially preventable hospitalisations by Indigenous status and remoteness, Australia (per 1000 people) |
Table 10A.103 | Separations for selected vaccine preventable conditions by Indigenous status, 2013-14 (per 1000 people) |
Table 10A.104 | Separations for selected acute conditions by Indigenous status, 2013-14 (per 1000 people) |
Table 10A.105 | Separations for selected chronic conditions by Indigenous status, 2013-14 (per 1000 people) |
Table 10A.106 | Ratio of separations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to all Australians, diabetes, 2013-14 |