Female GPs spend more time with patients and treat more complex cases than their male colleagues but Medicare fails to reward that work, according to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners’ ‘Health of the Nation’ report released in Canberra today.
The report found differences in workplace experiences between male and female GPs, with women averaging 21 minutes per consultation, compared with 18 minutes for male GPs, which RACGP links to the types of care they provide.
Seventy one per cent of female GPs ranked psychological issues among their top three reasons for patient presentations, compared with 58 per cent of male GPs.
The report also found that, for the first
The report also found that, for the first time since the survey began, female GPs are less satisfied in their jobs than male GPs.
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said the findings exposed “ongoing and problematic gender bias” in how primary care is funded and delivered, and believes this calls for urgent reform from the government.
More than half of female GPs identified mental health care as a key priority area, compared with one in three male GPs. Male GPs were more likely to see patients for physical conditions, including musculoskeletal, respiratory, ear, nose and throat, and circulatory issues.
The RACGP report highlights yet another example
The RACGP report highlights yet another example of women carrying a heavier burden than their male equivalents, and a system that has come to rely on that effort. Longer consults and more complex problems are harder to manage, and this work clearly relies on female GPs, who are statistically more likely to take it on.
Dr Wright said that these longer consultations covering mental health, preventive care, family violence and reproductive health delivered “enormous value” but often came with financial penalties for both doctors and patients. Analysis by Ochre Health found male GPs earn 6.5% more per consulting hour than female GPs, beginning to highlight the true structural inequality that exists for women in the healthcare sphere.
Even outside day-to-day work, Female GPs report lower levels of satisfaction and confidence in their careers.
Female GPs are now less likely than male
Female GPs are now less likely than male GPs to report a good work-life balance, at 55 per cent compared with 57 per cent. A year ago, women were ahead, with 48 per cent of female GPs reporting good balance compared with 45 per cent of men.
Confidence in the profession has also risen more strongly among men. In 2026, 57 per cent of male GPs said they would recommend general practice as a career to younger colleagues, up from 47% in 2025. Among female GPs, the figure only rose from 48 to 53 per cent.
Female GPs also continue to report higher burnout. In 2026, 65% said they had experienced burnout in the previous 12 months, compared with 53 per cent of male GPs. The report says women have always reported higher burnout than men. Burnout has been falling since it was first recorded in 2022 and dropped sharply for both groups this year, though the decrease was slightly more pronounced for men.
Dr Wright acknowledged the federal government had begun
Dr Wright acknowledged the federal government had begun addressing gender inequities in healthcare, including aligning rebates for contraceptive procedures such as IUD insertions with those for vasectomies. But he said, “the fundamental issue remains”.
“These findings should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers,” Dr Wright said. “When the work traditionally undertaken by women is undervalued, patients ultimately miss out.”
He added that addressing structural gender bias in Medicare was “essential to improving access to care, supporting the GP workforce and delivering better health outcomes for women and for all Australians”.
