Variation by geography
This report describes results based on where people lived, not the location of the service provided. People can receive a Medicare-subsidised service outside of the area in which they usually live.
Between 2017–18 and 2024–25:
- People living in regional Primary Health Network (PHN) areas had a higher proportion of nursing and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker services than people living in metropolitan PHNs.
- A higher proportion of people living in metropolitan PHN areas had an after-hours Medicare-subsidised general practitioner (GP) attendance in 2024–25 (18%), compared with those living in regional PHN areas (9.4%). Over time, there has been a decline in after-hours attendances; in 2017–18, 28% of people living in metropolitan PHN areas and 16% of those living in regional PHN areas had an after-hours attendance.
- For GP attendances, diagnostic imaging services, allied health services and specialist attendances, the proportion of people accessing the services were similar between metropolitan and regional PHN areas (Figure 3).
Figure 3: Proportion (%) of people who had at least one non-hospital Medicare-subsidised service, by category and metropolitan and regional PHN area, 2017–18 to 2024–25
Multiple line charts showing the proportion of people who received various non-hospital Medicare-subsidised services in metropolitan and regional PHN areas between 2017–18 and 2024–25.
| Year | Regional PHN area | Metropolitan PHN area |
|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 | 87.4% | 86.8% |
| 2018-19 | 87.4% | 86.9% |
| 2019-20 | 86.9% | 86.6% |
| 2020-21 | 85.2% | 84.0% |
| 2021-22 | 88.9% | 89.4% |
| 2022-23 | 84.7% | 85.6% |
| 2023-24 | 84.2% | 83.6% |
| 2024-25 | 84.3% | 82.5% |
| Year | Regional PHN area | Metropolitan PHN area |
|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 | 15.8% | 28.1% |
| 2018-19 | 14.7% | 27.8% |
| 2019-20 | 12.8% | 25.7% |
| 2020-21 | 10.4% | 20.7% |
| 2021-22 | 9.6% | 20.1% |
| 2022-23 | 9.2% | 20.0% |
| 2023-24 | 9.2% | 18.9% |
| 2024-25 | 9.4% | 18.2% |
| Year1 | Regional PHN area | Metropolitan PHN area |
|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 | 24.9% | 21.3% |
| 2018-19 | 25.5% | 22.2% |
| 2019-20 | 25.5% | 22.5% |
| 2020-21 | 26.2% | 23.7% |
| 2021-22 | 24.6% | 22.5% |
| 2022-23 | 25.5% | 23.2% |
| 2023-24 | 25.7% | 23.0% |
| 2024-25 | 26.6% | 23.8% |
| Year1 | Regional PHN area | Metropolitan PHN area |
|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 | 38.4% | 37.5% |
| 2018-19 | 38.5% | 37.8% |
| 2019-20 | 37.5% | 36.6% |
| 2020-21 | 39.3% | 38.3% |
| 2021-22 | 38.1% | 37.5% |
| 2022-23 | 38.9% | 38.7% |
| 2023-24 | 39.2% | 38.4% |
| 2024-25 | 39.9% | 38.6% |
| Year | Regional PHN area | Metropolitan PHN area |
|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 | 36.6% | 36.1% |
| 2018-19 | 37.4% | 36.9% |
| 2019-20 | 35.8% | 35.2% |
| 2020-21 | 39.0% | 37.9% |
| 2021-22 | 36.8% | 36.9% |
| 2022-23 | 38.2% | 38.8% |
| 2023-24 | 38.6% | 38.4% |
| 2024-25 | 39.0% | 38.6% |
| Year | Regional PHN area | Metropolitan PHN area |
|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 | 29.5% | 28.7% |
| 2018-19 | 30.2% | 29.1% |
| 2019-20 | 28.2% | 27.0% |
| 2020-21 | 32.0% | 29.7% |
| 2021-22 | 29.9% | 28.9% |
| 2022-23 | 31.7% | 31.1% |
| 2023-24 | 32.0% | 30.9% |
| 2024-25 | 32.3% | 30.9% |
| Year | Regional PHN area | Metropolitan PHN area |
|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| 2018-19 | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| 2019-20 | 4.8% | 5.5% |
| 2020-21 | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2021-22 | 4.6% | 5.4% |
| 2022-23 | 4.4% | 5.2% |
| 2023-24 | 4.4% | 5.1% |
| 2024-25 | 4.6% | 5.1% |
| Year | Regional PHN area | Metropolitan PHN area |
|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 | 4.1% | 4.4% |
| 2018-19 | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| 2019-20 | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| 2020-21 | 4.7% | 5.4% |
| 2021-22 | 4.2% | 5.0% |
| 2022-23 | 4.4% | 5.4% |
| 2023-24 | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2024-25 | 5.0% | 6.0% |
| Year1 | Regional PHN area | Metropolitan PHN area |
|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 | 30.4% | 30.9% |
| 2018-19 | 30.5% | 31.0% |
| 2019-20 | 30.3% | 30.5% |
| 2020-21 | 31.1% | 31.5% |
| 2021-22 | 30.5% | 31.6% |
| 2022-23 | 30.5% | 31.9% |
| 2023-24 | 30.8% | 31.6% |
| 2024-25 | 31.1% | 31.5% |
| Year | Regional PHN area | Metropolitan PHN area |
|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 | 8.7% | 5.0% |
| 2018-19 | 9.7% | 5.7% |
| 2019-20 | 10.5% | 6.3% |
| 2020-21 | 10.6% | 7.0% |
| 2021-22 | 10.1% | 6.8% |
| 2022-23 | 10.1% | 6.7% |
| 2023-24 | 9.1% | 5.7% |
| 2024-25 | 10.3% | 6.6% |
Source:
AIHW analysis of Department of Health, Disability and Ageing's Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) data collection, Australian Bureau of Statistics Estimated Resident Population.
For detailed data between 2017–18 and 2024–25 at PHN and Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3) areas, refer to the data tab. For details about the geographical areas and groupings included in this report refer to the technical notes.