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VICTORIA

Over 5.8 million (5,842,000) people, or just under one-quarter of Australia’s population (24.9%) live in Victoria with more than three-quarters (76.0%) living in Greater Melbourne.¹

KEY FACTS — PEOPLE 15 YEARS AND OVER

• In 2013-14, 83.4% of people in Victoria saw a GP in the previous 12 months, with more than two thirds (69.9%) receiving a prescription for medication.
• In Victoria 9.2% of people saw an after hours GP in the previous 12 months. While 12.0% of people in Victoria needed to see an after hours GP, just under a quarter (23.9%) of these people could not see one at all when needed.
• Almost two in five people (38.4%) in Victoria saw a medical specialist in the previous 12 months. While 41.2% of people in Victoria needed to see a medical specialist, 6.8% of these people could not see one at all when needed.
• Nearly one-quarter (24.6%) of people in Victoria who saw a medical specialist reported they waited longer than they felt acceptable to get an appointment.
• In Victoria, almost half (49.9%) of people saw a dental professional in the previous 12 months. While over half (59.7%) of people in Victoria needed to see a dental professional,16.4% of these people could not see one at all when needed.
• In Victoria, 13.0% of people were admitted to hospital during the previous 12 months.
• In 2013-14, 13.6% of Victorian residents visited a hospital emergency department, with just over one-fifth (21.0%) reporting they thought care could have been provided by a GP.
• Around one in six people (17.3%) saw three or more health professionals for the same condition, with 13.4% of these people reporting they experienced issues caused by a lack of communication between the health professionals.

• Proportions were similar for Victorian residents who saw a GP compared with all of Australia (83.4% compared with 82.2%).
• A similar proportion of people in Victoria received a prescription for medication compared with all Australians (69.9% compared with 68.9%).
• Victorians were more likely to see a medical specialist compared with all Australians (38.4% compared with 36.2%). Of those who saw a medical specialist, similar proportions of people in Victoria reported they waited longer than they felt acceptable to get an appointment with a medical specialist compared with all Australians (24.6% compared with 25.0%).
• Similar proportions of people living in Victoria saw a dental professional compared with all Australians (49.9% compared with 49.7%).
• In Victoria, a similar proportion of people were admitted to hospital compared with all of Australia (13.0% compared with 12.8%).
• In 2013-14, Victorians were more likely to see three or more health professionals for the same condition compared with all Australians (17.3% compared with 16.1%). However, a similar proportion reported experiencing issues caused by a lack of communication between health professionals (13.4% compared with 14.3%).