Read a summary of our latest Needs Assessment 2025-28

Country SA PHN Newsletter May 2025

The Country SA PHN Comprehensive Needs Assessment report identifies the health and service needs, gaps and opportunities for improved outcomes in our region, through the synthesis of data, stakeholder and community consultations.

This report will inform Country SA PHN’s work to address identified access barriers and inequities.

Several factors outside our scope of work are also discussed to ensure findings are representative of our community and form a holistic foundation for evidence-based commissioning.

It is evident that the country SA region continues to experience an increasing demand for health services and workforce due to ageing populations, the prevalence of chronic disease and mental health conditions as well as increasing complexity of health needs.

Findings reiterated that there are unique additional barriers to accessing and providing appropriate, timely and accessible healthcare in regional and remote South Australia.

These barriers include:

• The limited availability of healthcare professionals,
• Long wait times,
• Reduced access to specialist services.

There is also limited access to public health and/or bulk billing services, as well as options available ‘after hours’.

If you’d like to read a short summary of this Needs Assessment, along with a list of identified need statements, view the Executive Summary and Identified Need Statements.

Published on: May 6, 2025