Economic Needs Analysis Report · MCU15/0122

5.0 MEDICAL SERVICES DEMAND ANALYSIS
This chapter examines the potential demand for the medical uses proposed on the subject
site and provides an outline of the demand for medical services and facilities particularly
within Queensland. The data and results that have been used within the discussion have been
sourced from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) “Medical Labour Force
2013” publication and associated datasets.

5.1      MEDICAL TRENDS

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s (AIHW) ‘Health expenditure
Australia 2012-13’, expenditure on healthcare within Australia was almost $150 billion in
2012/13, of which approximately $100 billion was Government expenditure.

Structural trends such as Australia’s ageing demographic are driving demand for medical and
healthcare services in Australia.

For persons seeking health care, primary and community health services are usually a
patient’s first contact with the health care system. Service providers, particularly General
Practitioners (GPs) play a crucial role in monitoring and managing a person’s health. Advice
from doctors has been shown to be the most effective in changing unhealthy behaviour.

According to Ibisworld, ‘bulk-billing’ which involves GPs charging just the scheduled fee for
service has risen over the past 5 years to now cover over 80% of all GP consultations which is
attributed to “an increasing number of retirees visiting their GP, as pensioners are more
commonly offered bulk-billing than working-age adults”.

Diabetes is emerging as the chronic illness of the 21 st Century, with 280 Australian’s
developing diabetes every day (Diabetes Australia).

Australia’s ageing population is also accelerating with a projected 500,000 persons diagnosed
with dementia by 2020 and 900,000 by 2050.

As Australia shifts to a services and knowledge based economy, key drivers of growth are
identified within research and innovation. Particularly within the health sector, researchers
and front line clinicians are reaping the operational and economic benefits from the
consolidation of these activities through clustering, co-existence, agglomeration and
interrelatedness by facilitating knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer, and ensuring that
spaces contribute to and enhance this knowledge sharing through

      a) Partnerships between government, institutions and the private sector
      b) Living environments that promote creativity
      c) Environments that encourage knowledge workers



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