Seeing patients with psychological issues, including depression, mood disorders and anxiety, are the most common ailments GPs deal with day to day, according to an RACGP survey.
When asked, 'What are the emerging patient health issues causing you the most concern for the future', psychological issues again topped the list, followed by obesity and diabetes.
The figures are contained in the RACGP’s annual General Practice: Health of the Nation report, which includes findings from a survey of more than 1500 GPs.
Happily, nine out of 10 surveyed GPs are satisfied or very satisfied with their role, but satisfaction levels drop once money enters the equation.
Only 64% of city GPs are satisfied or very satisfied with their remuneration, but this increases to 78% for remote GPs.
When asked, 'What are the three most common ailments you deal with', these were the top 10:
01. Psychological (62% of GPs)
02. Respiratory (45%)
03. Musculoskeletal (43%)
04. Endocrine and metabolic (36%)
05. Circulatory (31%)
06. Women’s health (20%)
07. Preventive (17%)
08. Skin (14%)
09. Pregnancy and family planning (14%)
10. Digestive (8%)
In other findings:
• Half the GPs surveyed nominated mental health as the health issue causing them most concern for the future. This was followed by obesity (45%), diabetes (18%), aged care and the ageing population (14%), drug addiction (12%), and chronic pain and palliative care (both 8%).
• Four out of five GPs report having seen or experienced violence at work, with nearly one in three seeing violence on at least a monthly basis.
• Most work in a practice of between six and10 GPs.
• Full-time GPs see an average 114 patients a week; female GPs see 97 patients and male GPs see 122, on average.
• GPs spend on average 17 minutes with each patient.
Download the General Practice Health of the Nation 2018 document. It contains an annual insight into the state of general practice.
Source: https://www.racgp.org.au
