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WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Over 2.5 million (2,573,000) people, or just over one-tenth of Australia’s population (11.0%) live in Western Australia (WA), with more than three-quarters (78.5%), living in Greater Perth.¹

KEY FACTS — PEOPLE 15 YEARS AND OVER

• In 2013-14, over three-quarters (77.7%) of Western Australians saw a general practitioner (GP) in the previous 12 months, with almost two-thirds (64.2%) of people receiving a prescription for medication.
• In WA, 8.0% of people saw an after hours GP in the previous 12 months. While 10.5% of people in WA needed to see an after hours GP, 23.8% of these people could not see one at all when needed.
• Almost one in three people (32.0%) in WA saw a medical specialist in the previous 12 months. Of those who saw a medical specialist over a quarter (29.4%) reported they waited longer than they felt acceptable to get an appointment.
• In WA, 50.0% of people saw a dental professional in the previous 12 months. While over half (60.5%) of people in WA needed to see a dental professional, 17.3% of these people could not see one at all when needed.
• Almost one in six people (15.9%) in WA visited a hospital emergency department in the previous 12 months.
• Around one in seven people (13.6%) in WA needed to go to hospital during in the previous 12 months.
• One in seven people (14.3%) saw three or more health professionals for the same condition in the previous 12 months, with 18.2% of these people reporting they experienced issues caused by a lack of communication between health professionals.

• Western Australians were less likely to see a GP in 2013-14 compared with all Australians (77.7% compared with 82.2%).
• People living in WA were less likely to receive a prescription for medication compared with all Australians (64.2% compared with 68.9%).
• A lower proportion of people in WA saw a medical specialist compared with all Australians (32.0% compared with 36.2%). However, Western Australians who saw a medical specialist were more likely to report waiting longer than they felt acceptable to get an appointment compared with all Australians (29.4% compared with 25.0%).
• Proportions were similar for those who saw a dental professional in WA compared with all of Australia (50.0% compared with 49.7%).
• Similar proportions of people were admitted to hospital in Western Australia compared with all of Australia (13.0% compared with 12.8%).
• Western Australians were less likely to see three or more health professionals for the same condition compared with all Australians (14.3% compared with 16.1%). However, people living in WA were more likely to experience issues caused by a lack of communication between health professionals compared with all Australians (18.2% compared with 14.3%).