The Health of the Nation report, published by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) on Wednesday, found that female GPs spent an average of 21 minutes per consultation compared with just under 18 minutes for male GPs. The report also noted that women tended to see patients with more complex psychosocial, mental health and women's health issues. Two-thirds of GPs surveyed said they were spending more time with patients due to the increasing complexity of health concerns, with the average consultation time rising to 19.8 minutes in 2026 from 17.7 minutes in 2022.
Mental health remained the most common reason patients sought care, a trend that first emerged in 2017. The report found that, for the first time, female GPs reported lower job satisfaction than their male colleagues, along with higher rates of burnout and difficulty maintaining work-life balance.
RACGP Queensland chair Dr Cath Hester, who has treated patients at a small clinic in the Brisbane suburb of Karana Downs for more than a decade, said the preference for female doctors was influenced by cultural reasons. "People feel more comfortable to confide mental health conditions or other sensitive information, like maybe domestic violence, with somebody who they know," Hester said. She called on the federal government to review the time-tiered payment system, noting that longer consultations, which female GPs predominantly provide, are not adequately funded. "Unfortunately, women are suffering the consequences [of the current system] and earn less than male GPs on average," she said.
RACGP president Dr Michael Wright said the report highlighted structural gender bias and misogyny embedded in Australia's Medicare system. "Female GPs are playing a critical role delivering complex care across our health system, particularly in mental health, preventive healthcare and women's health, but the Medicare system has not kept pace with the reality of modern general practice," he said. "That must change."
AMA Queensland chair Dr Maria Boulton, a Brisbane-based GP, said women juggled complex patient needs with other gendered responsibilities such as raising children and caring for ageing parents. "It's no wonder burnout happens," Boulton said, adding that the workforce, particularly in Queensland, was already stretched. "We need to really protect the workforce … we can't afford to be losing anyone to burnout – doctors, nurses – we are short already." The report also found that almost nine in 10 GPs manage conditions typically treated by non-GP specialists or in hospital emergency departments.