Number of People in NSW Who Can’t Afford GP Care More Than Triples

The number of people in New South Wales delaying or avoiding visits to their GP has shot up by 246 percent compared to 2020, a study by the NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS) has found. In regional parts of the state, the number of people putting off specialist visits due to cost has increased by 202 percent, while in Greater Sydney, the figure stands at 62 percent. Even people on middle-to-high incomes are affected, with 243 percent more of them deferring or avoiding visiting a GP for financial reasons, compared to a 301 percent increase among low-income earners. When it comes to specialist visits, the better-off are worse off: there has been a 120 percent increase in those who delay or avoid a specialist visit, while the increase for low-income earners is 109 percent....