In December 2024, residents of the Liverpool Plains were encouraged to share their experiences of local health services through a health services survey.

The survey helped identify local priorities and any barriers to accessing health services in the Shire. This includes general practices, public health services, allied health, mental health, and Aboriginal health services. We received 265 responses to the survey. Here is a summary of the survey results.

Accessing GP services

Wait times for a GP appointment spanned anywhere from 1 week to more than 6 weeks. Most participants (68%) reported being able to access their GP in 1-4 weeks.

Accessing a GP outside of routine business hours is a key challenge. 134 participants reported that they tried to access a GP outside of business hours in the previous 12 months. More than half of these (73 participants) were not able to access a doctor.

Accessing specialist doctors

Just over two-thirds of participants (69%) had needed to access specialist services in the previous 12 months. For most (88%), travel to Tamworth, Newcastle or Sydney was required to access these services.

Use of emergency department services

Two-thirds (69%) of participants reported that they had accessed emergency department services in the previous 12 months. Out of those who did access emergency services, almost half (46%) reported that the service did not meet their needs. Limited access to an on-site doctor in the emergency department and the substitution of a telehealth consult in its place, alongside lengthy wait times, were the key issues participants encountered with emergency department services.

Accessing telehealth services

Just under half of the participants (49%) had accessed services via telehealth in the previous 12 months. Satisfaction with telehealth was generally high amongst participants, with 64% reporting that it met their needs.

Here are the ten most common responses from health professionals in your community.

1. It can be hard to get an appointment with a GP when people need one.
2. There is a need for culturally safe healthcare options for Aboriginal people.
3. It is difficult to retain the health professionals we need, which means people often have to retell their health story to someone new.
4. Families and individuals need to know how and where to find healthcare support.
5. People need more help when navigating the healthcare system, as it can be very confusing.
6. Some health services are too far away for people to access, or they may not have transport.
7. We need more specialist healthcare support for children and youth.
8. We need to work together so that vulnerable people in our community don't fall through the cracks.
9. Liverpool Plains has an elderly population, with a lot of chronic illnesses, and they need support.
10. A lot of people in the community need more support with mental health or substance abuse.