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 all 110 active clinics in the network. Published 13 June 2026; figures updated 26 July 2026. Structural data (billing, geography) extracted from Family Doctor’s practice-management records on 26 July 2026; training-accreditation, MMM/DPA and PHN figures are from the 21 June 2026 extraction; opening-hours figures are from the 26 July 2026 extraction; the appointment-availability snapshot is 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 91.8% of Family Doctor clinics (101 of 110) — they operate either a fully bulk-billing or a mixed-billing model. 28.2% (31 clinics) are fully bulk-billing; 63.6% (70) are mixed; 8.2% (9) are private-billing.
- More than half the network (53.6%) offers extended hours — open on a weekend day and/or a weekday evening (to 6:00pm or later). 48.2% open at least one weekend day; 44.5% open on Saturdays; 12.7% open on Sundays. (Opening-hours figures from the 26 July 2026 extraction.)
- A third of the network (33.0%) sits outside the major capital cities (21 June 2026 extraction) — 34 of the then-103 clinics in MMM2–MMM5 areas (regional centres and rural towns) under the Modified Monash Model. The network spans 6 states/territories, 97 distinct suburbs and 88 distinct postcodes.
- One in four clinics (25.2%) is an accredited GP-training practice — 26 clinics (at the 21 June 2026 extraction) hold RACGP and/or ACRRM training-site accreditation, contributing to the national GP-registrar training pipeline.
- At the 21 June 2026 extraction, more than half of clinics (58 of the then-103, 56.3%) were 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 | 10 / 10 | 100.0% |
| ACT | 1 / 1 | n=1 |
| SA | 1 / 1 | n=1 |
| QLD | 33 / 35 | 94.3% |
| VIC | 47 / 52 | 90.4% |
| WA | 9 / 11 | 81.8% |
| National | 101 / 110 | 91.8% |
Billing-model split nationally: mixed billing 70 clinics (63.6%), fully bulk-billing 31 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 26 July 2026 extraction (all 110 active clinics; one skin-clinic site has no structured hours record and is counted as not open). “Extended hours” means open on Saturday and/or Sunday, or open on a weekday until 6:00pm or later.
| Measure | Clinics | % |
|---|---|---|
| Open Saturdays | 49 / 110 | 44.5% |
| Open Sundays | 14 / 110 | 12.7% |
| Open at least one weekend day | 53 / 110 | 48.2% |
| Weekday evening (to 6pm or later) | 32 / 110 | 29.1% |
| Any extended hours | 59 / 110 | 53.6% |
Weekend GP access is uneven by state. Within this one network, Saturday opening ranged from 10.0% of clinics (NSW) to around 60% (VIC) and 55% (WA), with QLD near 29% — 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 (43.7%) were in non-DPA locations. The network’s state spread is VIC 52, QLD 35, NSW 10, WA 11, ACT 1, SA 1, reaching 97 distinct suburbs across 88 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 91.8% of Family Doctor clinics (101 of 110) — they operate a fully bulk-billing or mixed-billing model. Eligibility cohorts vary by clinic; 31 clinics (28.2%) bulk bill all patients.
How many Family Doctor clinics are there and where are they?
The Index covers all 110 active clinics in the network: VIC 52, QLD 35, NSW 10, WA 11, ACT 1 and SA 1, spanning 97 suburbs and 88 postcodes. At the 21 June 2026 extraction, 34 clinics (33.0% of the then-103) were outside major capital cities (MMM2–5).
How many clinics open on weekends?
At the 26 July 2026 extraction, 53 of 110 active clinics (48.2%) opened at least one weekend day. 49 (44.5%) opened Saturdays and 14 (12.7%) 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. Billing and geography were extracted 26 July 2026; training accreditation, MMM and DPA are from the 21 June 2026 extraction; opening hours are from the 26 July 2026 extraction; the availability snapshot is from 8 June 2026. 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: all 110 clinics with status = Active in Family Doctor’s records — every active clinic, with no further filtering. 106 are general practices and 4 are specialist sites (2 dental, 2 skin). Closed clinics and non-clinic entities (head office, the national telehealth brand) are excluded. One skin-clinic site has no structured opening-hours record and is counted as not open in the hours measures.
- Extraction dates: billing and geography (state/suburb/postcode) extracted 26 July 2026; MMM/DPA and training accreditation from the 21 June 2026 extraction; structured opening hours from the 26 July 2026 extraction; the appointment-availability snapshot 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 one in ten in New South Wales to 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 / 50 | 60.0% |
| QLD | 9 / 33 | 27.3% |
| NSW | 1 / 10 | 10.0% |
| SA | 1 / 1 | n=1 |
| ACT | 0 / 1 | n=1 |
Computed from structured opening-hours records for the 105 active clinics (26 July 2026 extraction). ACT and SA shown as counts (single-clinic states).
Workforce-shortage weighting by state
At the 21 June 2026 extraction, 58 clinics (56.3% of the then-103 GP cohort) sat in a Distribution Priority Area — the federal designation for locations with a measured GP workforce shortage — and 34 (33.0%) were outside the major capital cities (Modified Monash categories MM2–MM5), spanning regional centres and rural towns.
