The results of a health services survey conducted in Eden late last year are now in. The survey received 267 responses, with female respondents accounting for the majority of submissions.

78% of people said they sometimes have difficulty accessing the healthcare they need. Most of these people said they had trouble getting an appointment with a doctor when they needed it. Others said that health appointments were not affordable.

Most people have to travel beyond Eden to access some health services they need. 1 in 2 respondents have travelled beyond the Bega Valley in the past 12 months to access healthcare, and more than half of these people said this made it more difficult to get help. A small number of people said they sometimes miss a health appointment because they can’t get transport.

Some people in Eden are using telehealth as a more convenient way to access health services. 2 in 5 people used a telehealth service in the last 12 months, and the vast majority of these telehealth appointments were with a GP. 80% of people who used a telehealth service said that it wholly or partly met their needs.

Mental health services are also important to the Eden community. Those people who accessed mental health services wanted improved wait times, more available services, and more free or affordable services.

Survey respondents were particularly concerned about the availability of GP services and the lack of free (bulk‑billing) options. They also noted long wait times and limited capacity for practices to take new patients.

The project group drew on the survey findings, interviews, and the Health Indicators Report to determine priority areas at the workshop held in November 2025.

The Collaborative Care Program is facilitated by Rural Doctors Network (RDN) and supported by the NSW Ministry of Health. For more information about the project, you can find online at https://collaborativecare.au/eden.