The Family Doctor GP Access Index 2026
A data report on the composition and operating patterns of the Family Doctor general-practice network — bulk-billing availability, opening hours, geographic reach, and GP-training capacity across 103 active GP clinics. Published 13 June 2026; figures updated 21 June 2026. Structural data (billing, geography, training) extracted from Family Doctor’s practice-management records on 21 June 2026; opening-hours and appointment-availability figures are from the 8 June 2026 extraction. Reviewed by Dr Rodney Aziz, Founder, Family Doctor Pty Ltd.
This report describes one private general-practice network. It makes no claims about other providers and no clinical-outcome claims. It is published so journalists, researchers and policymakers can cite primary-source data on GP-access conditions in Australia. The full methodology is at the end of this page. When citing, please reference “Family Doctor GP Access Index 2026” and link to this page.
Headline findings
- Bulk-billing is available at 95.1% of Family Doctor GP clinics (98 of 103) — they operate either a fully bulk-billing or a mixed-billing model. 28.2% (29 clinics) are fully bulk-billing; 67.0% (69) are mixed; 4.9% (5) are private-billing.
- More than half the network (54.1%) offers extended hours — open on a weekend day and/or a weekday evening (to 6:00pm or later). 47.7% open at least one weekend day; 44.1% open on Saturdays; 13.5% open on Sundays. (Opening-hours figures from the 8 June 2026 extraction.)
- A third of the network (33.0%) sits outside the major capital cities — 34 of 103 clinics are in MMM2–MMM5 areas (regional centres and rural towns) under the Modified Monash Model. The network spans 6 states/territories, 94 distinct suburbs and 87 distinct postcodes.
- One in four clinics (25.2%) is an accredited GP-training practice — 26 clinics hold RACGP and/or ACRRM training-site accreditation, contributing to the national GP-registrar training pipeline.
- More than half of clinics (58 of 103, 56.3%) are in a Distribution Priority Area (DPA) — the federal designation for locations with measured GP workforce shortage — illustrating the network’s weighting toward underserved areas.
Bulk-billing availability by state
“Available” means the clinic operates a bulk-billing or mixed-billing model — bulk billing is offered to at least some patient cohorts; the mix varies by clinic and is set by each practice.
| State | Bulk-billing available | % |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | 11 / 11 | 100.0% |
| ACT | 1 / 1 | n=1 |
| SA | 1 / 1 | n=1 |
| VIC | 46 / 48 | 95.8% |
| QLD | 30 / 32 | 93.8% |
| WA | 9 / 10 | 90.0% |
| National | 98 / 103 | 95.1% |
Billing-model split nationally: mixed billing 69 clinics (67.0%), fully bulk-billing 29 clinics (28.2%), private billing 5 clinics (4.9%). Single-clinic states (ACT, SA) are shown as counts rather than percentages.
Extended-hours and after-hours coverage
Computed from structured opening-hours records at the 8 June 2026 extraction (111 clinics with complete hours data). “Extended hours” means open on Saturday and/or Sunday, or open on a weekday until 6:00pm or later.
| Measure | Clinics | % |
|---|---|---|
| Open Saturdays | 49 / 111 | 44.1% |
| Open Sundays | 15 / 111 | 13.5% |
| Open at least one weekend day | 53 / 111 | 47.7% |
| Weekday evening (to 6pm or later) | 33 / 111 | 29.7% |
| Any extended hours | 60 / 111 | 54.1% |
Weekend GP access is uneven by state. Within this one network, Saturday opening ranged from 18.2% of clinics (NSW) to around 58% (VIC) and 60% (WA), with QLD near 28% — a clean illustration that access varies by location.
Geographic spread and workforce-shortage weighting
| Modified Monash Model category | Clinics |
|---|---|
| MM1 (metropolitan) | 69 |
| MM2 (regional centres) | 12 |
| MM3 (large rural towns) | 10 |
| MM4 (medium rural towns) | 7 |
| MM5 (small rural towns) | 5 |
| Outside major cities (MM2–5) | 34 (33.0%) |
58 clinics (56.3%) are in a federally designated Distribution Priority Area (DPA) — locations with a measured GP workforce shortage. The remaining 45 clinics (43.7%) are in non-DPA locations. The network’s state spread is VIC 48, QLD 32, NSW 11, WA 10, ACT 1, SA 1, reaching 94 distinct suburbs across 87 postcodes.
Clinics fall across roughly 20 of Australia’s 31 Primary Health Networks (PHNs), with the largest concentrations in the Sunshine Coast / Country to Coast and South Eastern Melbourne network regions and a substantial Gippsland and Murray presence — a single network’s footprint reaching around two-thirds of the country’s primary-health-network regions.
GP training capacity
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| RACGP-accredited training sites | 26 (25.2%) |
| ACRRM-accredited training sites | 5 (4.9%) |
| Clinics accredited for GP training (either college) | 26 (25.2%) |
One in four of the network’s clinics is accredited to host GP registrars in training — a contribution to the national GP workforce pipeline concentrated, like the network itself, partly in regional and workforce-shortage areas.
Appointment availability snapshot
From the network’s online-booking feed, captured 8 June 2026 (next-7-days window): the large majority of clinics had open appointment slots in the coming 7 days, with thousands of open slots across the network in that window. This is a single point-in-time snapshot from the online booking feed at the time of extraction, not an audited wait-time study, and should not be read as a guaranteed standing level of availability.
Frequently asked questions about this Index
What share of Family Doctor clinics offer bulk billing?
Bulk billing is available at 95.1% of Family Doctor GP clinics (98 of 103) — they operate a fully bulk-billing or mixed-billing model. Eligibility cohorts vary by clinic; 29 clinics (28.2%) bulk bill all patients.
How many Family Doctor clinics are there and where are they?
The Index covers 103 active GP clinics: VIC 48, QLD 32, NSW 11, WA 10, ACT 1 and SA 1, spanning 94 suburbs and 87 postcodes. 34 clinics (33.0%) are outside major capital cities (MMM2–5).
How many clinics open on weekends?
At the 8 June 2026 extraction, 53 of the 111 clinics with complete hours data (47.7%) opened at least one weekend day. 49 (44.1%) opened Saturdays and 15 (13.5%) opened Sundays. Weekend access varies markedly by state.
What data is the Index based on?
Family Doctor’s internal practice-management records (Frappe CRM) — the same system the group uses operationally. Structural fields (billing, geography, training accreditation) were extracted 21 June 2026; opening-hours and availability are from the 8 June 2026 extraction. See the methodology section for definitions and known gaps.
Can I cite or republish these figures?
Yes. Cite “Family Doctor GP Access Index 2026” and link to this page. For interviews, custom data cuts or the underlying definitions, contact info@familydoctor.com.au.
Methodology and data-quality notes
- Source: Family Doctor’s internal practice-management records (Frappe CRM), the same system the group uses operationally.
- Universe: 103 clinics with status = Active in the general-practice cohort. Standalone dental, skin, cosmetic and national telehealth sub-brands, and closed clinics, are excluded so the figures describe GP access specifically.
- Extraction dates: billing, geography (state/MMM/DPA) and training accreditation extracted 21 June 2026; structured opening-hours and the appointment-availability snapshot are from the 8 June 2026 extraction (when the active set was slightly larger), and will be aligned to the GP cohort at the next refresh.
- Bulk-billing: based on each clinic’s recorded billing model (Bulk / Mixed / Private). “Available” aggregates Bulk + Mixed. Does not assert every patient is bulk-billed.
- Hours: structured day-by-day opening records; “extended hours” defined as open Saturday and/or Sunday, or a weekday to 6:00pm or later.
- Rurality: Modified Monash Model (MMM) category as recorded per clinic; recorded for all clinics in the cohort.
- DPA: Distribution Priority Area status as recorded per clinic; recorded for all clinics in the cohort.
- Training: RACGP/ACRRM site-accreditation status as recorded per clinic.
- Availability: point-in-time online-booking snapshot; not an audited wait-time measure.
Related: Bulk billing at Family Doctor clinics · Find a Family Doctor clinic · What is bulk billing?
Weekend access varies by state
Within the one national network, the share of clinics open on a Saturday ranges from under a fifth in New South Wales to nearly three in five in Victoria and Western Australia — a concrete illustration that weekend GP access depends heavily on where a patient lives.
| State | Clinics open Saturdays | Share |
|---|---|---|
| WA | 6 / 10 | 60.0% |
| VIC | 30 / 52 | 57.7% |
| QLD | 10 / 36 | 27.8% |
| NSW | 2 / 11 | 18.2% |
| SA | 1 / 1 | n=1 |
| ACT | 0 / 1 | n=1 |
Computed from structured opening-hours records for the 111 clinics with complete hours data. ACT and SA shown as counts (single-clinic states).
Workforce-shortage weighting by state
Across the network, 60 clinics (53.6%) sit in a Distribution Priority Area — the federal designation for locations with a measured GP workforce shortage — and 34 clinics (30.4%) are outside the major capital cities (Modified Monash categories MM2–MM5), spanning regional centres and rural towns.
