Notes on the data: MBS services

GP services (Medical Benefits Schedule and Department of Veterans' Affairs) provided to males/ females/ total persons, 2009/10

Note that although these data are several years old, they have been retained in the atlases as the only small area data available for this topic. Efforts continue to get access to more up-to-date data.

Policy context: General medical practitioners (GPs) offer a wide range of primary health care services and are the 'front line' of the Australian health care system. In metropolitan regions, people from low socioeconomic (SES) areas consult general practitioners more frequently than those from high SES areas [1]. The primary reason is their poorer health and hence greater medical need (however, distributional, operational and financial factors associated with the provision of general practice services are also important). In rural and remote areas, disadvantaged groups experience disproportionate difficulty accessing GP services. These areas are underserved by GPs, who charge more for their services and are less likely to bulk-bill [2].

References

Turrell G, Mathers C. Socioeconomic status and health in Australia. MJA. 2009;172:434-38.
Department of Health and Aged Care (DHAC). General practice in Australia, 2000. Canberra: DHAC; 2000.

Notes: MBS Item Nos: 00001-00084, 00193-00195, 00601, 00602, 02497-02559, 05000-05067, 00720-00779, 00900, 00903, 02710-02713, 00086, 00087, 00089-00093, 00095-00098, 00101, 00160-00173, 00444-00449, 00697-00698, 00700, 00702, 00703-00716, 00717, 00719, 00980, 00996-00998, 02598-02677, 02721-02727, 05200-05267, 17600

Data include services funded through the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) conducted by Medicare Australia and the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) medical benefits scheme.

Data include services provided by GPs in community health services and Aboriginal health services, as well as by GPs in private practice.

Numerator: Number of GP services, funded by Medicare Australia and DVA, provided to males/ females/ total persons, as appropriate

Denominator: Male population/ female population/ total population, as appropriate

Detail of analysis: Indirectly age-standardised rate per 100,000 males/ females/ population (as appropriate); and/or indirectly age-standardised ratio, based on the Australian standard

Source: Compiled by PHIDU based on data from Medicare Australia, supplied by the Department of Health of Ageing, 2009/10; and average of ABS Estimated Resident Population, 30 June 2009 and 30 June 2010.