Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031 Outcomes Framework: 3rd annual report

Preventive and early intervention health services that are timely, comprehensive, appropriate and effective support better overall health and wellbeing. People with disability experience preventable health conditions and comorbidities at higher rates than people without disability, placing them at substantially higher risk of adverse health outcomes. Access to early interventions, regular health assessments and rehabilitation improves long-term outcomes for individuals and can help to reduce future costs of care and support (Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031). 

Avoidable emergency presentations

A visit to a hospital emergency department where the care or service received in emergency could have, instead, been provided by a general practitioner (GP) is an avoidable emergency presentation. Factors such as cost, geographic location, accessibility of facilities and unavailability of other health services can affect which health service is visited (AIHW 2020). 

The desired key system outcome for this measure is that primary health care provides people with disability with high-quality prevention and early intervention services when they need them. 

Latest results: 2022

• In 2022, 154,500 people with disability felt a general practitioner (GP) could have provided care for their most recent visit to the emergency department within the past 12 months. This was 12% of the number of people with disability who had GP-type emergency department presentations. 
• Although this was an increase of 35,000 people from baseline (2018; 119,500), the proportions of people with disability who had GP-type emergency department presentations were similar between 2022 (12%) and 2018 (11%), which is why the status is reported as ‘no change’.

Things to consider when interpreting results

• The increase in the number of people with disability who had GP-type emergency department presentation between 2018 and 2022 is in line with the rise in the total number of people with disability between these years.
• Data for this measure exclude people who did not know if their GP could have provided care for the most recent time they went to the emergency department and is restricted to people with disability living in households who have been to a hospital emergency department for their own health in the last 12 months.

For figure notes, see Appendix C: Figure notes and sources.

For the latest data and breakdowns of the data, see Australia’s Disability Strategy Outcomes Framework | Avoidable emergency presentations.

Medical facility accessibility

People with disability have a range of health care needs, and access a variety of health services and facilities, including GPs, dentists, hospitals, and allied health services. People with disability may encounter barriers that limit their access to these facilities, which can negatively affect their access to health care. 

Better outcomes for people with disability are achieved when health providers deliver communication, services and facilities that are accessible and appropriate (Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031). 

The desired population outcome for this measure is to see an increase in long-term wellbeing for people with disability.

Latest results: 2022

• In 2022, 11% of people with disability had difficulty accessing medical facilities, down from 14% in 2018, indicating an improvement since the Strategy began (Figure 7.4).

Things to consider when interpreting results

• Data for this measure are restricted to people with disability aged 5 and over living in households, who leave home and need assistance or have difficulty with communication or mobility because of disability.

For figure notes, see Appendix C: Figure notes and sources.

For the latest data and breakdowns of the data, see Australia’s Disability Strategy Outcomes Framework | Medical facility accessibility.