Trends in general practitioner distribution from 1984 to 1989

Abstract

An analysis of the distribution of general practitioners by electorates during the six years 1984 to 1989 showed that the maldistribution of practitioners in Australia has worsened despite significant increases (26%) in total general practitioner numbers. One in five rural electorates had worse population-to-general-practitioner ratios in 1989 than in 1984. The changes in distribution of general practitioners ran counter to the changes in distribution of the population over the period studied. In 1984, the 38.7% of the population living in rural Australia was served by 33% of the nation's general practitioners. By 1989, more of the population (39.8%) lived in rural areas but they were served by a smaller proportion (32%) of the general practitioner workforce. It is clear that many urban electorates have fewer people per general practitioner than the most generous ideal ratios, while most rural electorates have more people per general practitioner than the least generous.