USUAL GENERAL PRACTITIONER AND USUAL PLACE OF CARE

All information in this publication refers to persons aged 45 years and over who had at least one general practitioner (GP) visit in the 12 months between November 2014 and November 2015.

A usual GP is the GP that people go to for most of their health care. A usual place of care is the usual place that people go if they are sick or need advice about their health. Examples of a usual place of care include a clinic with GPs only or with GPs and other health professionals, a community health centre or an Aboriginal medical service. Respondents were asked about:

• the frequency of their visits to their usual place of care
• the type of usual place of care
• the hours of their usual place of care
• their experience with their usual GP or others in their usual place of care.
  

Almost all people (98%) reported having a usual GP or a usual place of care.

Almost two thirds (65%) of people who had a usual GP indicated that they had been going to their usual GP for five or more years. This was more common for those aged 65 years and over (68%) than those aged 45 to 64 years (62%).

Around half (52%) of those with a usual place of care indicated that their usual place of care was a clinic with GPs only, followed by 42% whose usual place of care was a clinic with GPs and other health professionals.

Just over one third (35%) indicated that their usual place of care has after hours care (after hours includes some or all weekdays after 6pm, Saturdays after 12pm, Sundays and public holidays). One third (36%) stated that their usual place of care does not have a GP available to visit or talk with after hours, while 28% did not know whether their usual place of care has a GP available to visit or talk with after hours.

EXPERIENCE WITH USUAL GP OR OTHERS IN USUAL PLACE OF CARE

The way that a patient is treated by a health professional is an important aspect of their satisfaction with their health care. All respondents who had a usual GP and/or usual place of care were asked about their perceptions of how they were treated by their usual GP or others in their usual place of care.

Most people were positive about their experience with their usual GP or others in their usual place of care. Over four in five people (85%) indicated that their usual GP or others in their usual place of care were always or usually aware of their health care history. Nearly nine in ten people (88%) reported that their usual GP or others in their usual place of care always or usually involved them in decisions about their health care. Similarly, 88% of people reported that their usual GP or others in their usual place of care always or usually explained test results in a way that could be understood.

Most people (80%) stated that they were either completely comfortable or very comfortable talking with their usual GP or others in their usual place of care about their personal problems relating to their health. Those aged 65 years and over were more likely to report being completely comfortable or very comfortable talking about personal problems with their usual GP or others in their usual place of care than those aged 45 to 64 years (85% compared with 76%).

When asked to assess the quality of health care received from their usual GP or usual place of care in the last 12 months, 96% of people reported positively (excellent, very good or good). Almost one in two people (48%) indicated the quality was excellent, just over one in three (35%): very good and one in eight: good (13%).