New GP training numbers show general practice is recovering in New South Wales, but a lack of investment means the state is still underperforming compared to the rest of the country, the Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) says.
In 2025, 441 registrars are commencing specialist GP training in NSW and the ACT – an 8% increase, but significantly behind the national 19.8% growth.
RACGP NSW&ACT Chair Dr Rebekah Hoffman said: "The increase in specialist GPs training in New South Wales is promising, but it's well behind where it needs to be. Australia needs to train more GPs to so everyone can access this essential care.
"We know incentives allow more doctors to do specialist GP training in communities which need them. The number of GPs in training in Victoria shot up after they offered a $40,000 incentive to make sure no one is worse off when they start GP training. New South Wales should match this.
"General practice registrars are experienced doctors working as GPs while they train under expert supervision, so they can provide care when they start. Specialist GPs are also more likely to stay or return to where they've trained.
"There's no substitute for high-quality care from a GP who knows you and your history. Studies consistently show patients who see the same GP are healthier and live longer. At the same time, more of our patients are living with chronic, complex conditions that require management by a GP."
The number of GPs training in regional, rural, and remote areas also grew by only 4%, versus a 17% national increase. Just two doctors are expected to start training as specialist GPs in the RACGP's New England and North West NSW training region in 2025, and 12 across the Western NSW region, which makes up around half of the state.
Dr Hoffman said the NSW Government must take action to ensure future GPs train in these and other rural areas.
"The poor result in Western NSW and New England and North West NSW is really worrying," she said.
"Politicians and policymakers should be concerned. Communities without a local GP struggle to survive. The NSW Government should step up.
"Practices want to train the next generation of specialist GPs, and we've put our own placement incentives in place via federal funding, but more is needed. The NSW Government needs to step up and support these communities. I worked in and around Broken Hill last year with the Flying Doctors and local GPs, and it's an amazing area with great opportunities for doctors training as GPs, but it's tough.
"Incentives for junior doctors to train as GPs will help the state to end this crisis."
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright called on all federal parties to commit to ensuring access to affordable GP care for Australians in the leadup to the Federal Election.
"The RACGP has a plan to ensure high-quality general practice care is accessible and affordable for all Australians," he said.
"We've shown we can train more GPs, and with Australia's growing and ageing population, and an epidemic of chronic illness, we need to increase the number we're training to meet the need for care.
"We're calling for funding to train an extra 1500 specialist GPs over the next five years. This will help ensure everyone has access to a GP who knows them and their history. That will keep people healthy and well in their community and take the pressure off the stretched hospital system.
"Patients are paying more to see a GP in a cost of living crisis because Medicare investment hasn't kept up with inflation, so patients' Medicare funding no longer covers the costs of providing care. That's also reduced the appeal of training as a specialist GP.
"With significant investment in Medicare, we can increase bulk billing and reduce out-of-pocket costs for people who aren't being bulk billed. Both these things are crucial."
The RACGP is calling on all parties to invest in a significant boost to patients' Medicare funding, and:
- Fund 1500 more RACGP Australian GP Training places over the next five years.
- Link Government-subsidised medical places at universities to a target of 50% of graduates training as GPs.
This comes after the Health of the Nation report showed improvements in GP job satisfaction, particularly among GPs under 35, and that more GPs would recommend general practice as a career. Specialist GPs training with the RACGP also reported higher satisfaction than other specialists in training, with 84% saying they would recommend it to others and 78% agreeing they have a good work-life balance, compared to 65% in other specialist training programs.
Among the 441 new GPs training in the RACGP's NSW training regions:
- 113 GPs in training will join the Lower Eastern (Central Eastern NSW and South Western Sydney) region; 70 general pathway, 43 composite (general and rural) pathway
- 72 will join the Lower Eastern (South Eastern NSW) region; 20 general pathway, 52 rural pathway
- 68 will join the North Eastern (Hunter, Manning and Central Coast) region; 29 general pathway, 29 rural pathway, 10 composite (general and rural) pathway
- 110 will join the North Eastern (Nepean, Western and Northern Sydney) region; 89 general pathway, 21 composite (general and rural) pathway
- 2 will join the North Eastern (New England/Northwest) region on a rural pathway
- 41 will join the North Eastern (North Coast) region; 8 general pathway, 33 rural pathway
- 23 will join the Western and ACT (Murrumbidgee and ACT) region; 15 general pathway, 8 rural pathway
- 12 will join the Western and ACT (Western NSW) region on a rural pathway.
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