Australians are still facing lengthy waits for emergency care and planned surgery as public hospitals struggle to keep pace with demand, according to the Australian Medical Association’s 2026 Public Hospital Report Card.
The report finds some limited improvement in parts of the system, including a slight fall in the median waiting time for planned surgery and an increase in the number of public hospital beds. Yet overall performance remains far below levels recorded a decade ago as demand continues to rise.
AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen said the findings confirm that hospitals remain under heavy pressure across the country.
“After years of campaigning through our Clear the Hospital Logjam campaign the federal government announced an additional $25 billion in funding for the new agreement and that is, of course, very welcome,” Dr McMullen said.
The funding forms part of the new National Health Reform Agreement between the Commonwealth and the states. However, Dr McMullen said the extra funding may still fall short of what is required to restore hospital performance.
“But our costings suggest it may not be enough to get our public hospitals out of the cycle of crisis they’ve been in. AMA modelling showed that at least $34b was the type of investment required, with substantial additional investment needed from the states and territories, who oversee the day-to-day running of our public hospital system.”
Emergency departments remain under pressure nationwide. The report shows the proportion of patients completing their emergency department visit within four hours has fallen again, reaching the lowest level on record. Just over half of patients now meet the national benchmark.
Dr McMullen said the figures raise concern about care for patients presenting with serious conditions.
“Patients triaged as urgent include people with chest pain, severe breathing difficulties and life-threatening conditions like sepsis, and nearly one third of these patients are still not being seen on time, which is unacceptable,” she said.
Waiting times for surgery also remain a concern. Although the median waiting time has dropped slightly for the second year running, the report says Australians are still waiting longer for procedures than they were ten years ago.
“Planned surgery performance remains deeply concerning. While median waiting times have fallen slightly for the second year in a row, Australians are still waiting far longer for surgery than they were a decade ago,” Dr McMullen said.
“The proportion of Category 2 patients treated within clinically recommended timeframes remains well below historical levels, and patients who miss those timeframes often wait months longer than advised. These are medically necessary procedures that prevent deterioration and improve quality of life.”
The report identifies a persistent gap between demand for services and available capacity as a central issue. While additional beds have been added in recent years, population growth has offset much of that expansion.
Bed availability per person has remained largely unchanged, and capacity for older Australians has declined to the lowest level on record. People aged 65 and over account for close to half of all public hospital patient days.
Dr McMullen said it was important that the extra funding announced earlier this year be directed toward increasing capacity and addressing exit block within hospitals.
She also said reforms to support performance improvements should be reconsidered.
“For example, we used to fund performance improvement and to no-one’s surprise, performance improved. Then it was scrapped, and performance got worse.”
Support independent community journalism. Support The Indian Sun.
Follow The Indian Sun on X | Instagram | Facebook
Support Independent Community Journalism
Dear Reader,The Indian Sun exists for one reason: to tell stories that might otherwise go unheard.
We report on local councils, state politics, small businesses and cultural festivals. We focus on the Indian diaspora and the wider multicultural community with care, balance and accountability. We publish in print and online, send regular newsletters and produce video content. We also run media training programs to help community organisations share their own stories.
We operate independently.
Community journalism does not have the backing of large media corporations. Advertising revenue fluctuates. Platform algorithms change. Costs continue to rise. Yet the need for credible, grounded reporting in a multicultural Australia has never been greater.
When you support The Indian Sun, you support:
• Independent reporting on issues affecting migrant communities
• Coverage of local and state decisions that shape daily life
• A platform for small businesses and community groups
• Media training that builds skills within the community
• Journalism accountable to readers
We cannot cover everything, but we work to cover what matters.
If you value thoughtful reporting that reflects Australia’s diversity, we invite you to contribute. Every donation helps us maintain the quality and consistency of our work.
Please consider making a contribution today.
Thank you for your support.
The Indian Sun Team
