How have the demographic and practice patterns of older general practitioners in rural and remote Australia changed over the past decade?

Abstract Background Late-career general practitioners (GPs) aged 65 and over play a vital role in rural health care but have been underrepresented in research and policy discussions, despite increasing concerns about workforce ageing in Australia. This study aimed to describe changes in the demographics and work settings of late-career GPs in rural and regional Australia over the past decade, and to compare these trends with metropolitan areas. Methods Data from the National Health Workforce Dataset from 2013 to 2024 were analysed. Analyses were restricted to GPs aged 65 years and older who were registered and practising in Australia. GP practice locations were classified as metropolitan (MMM1), regional (MMM2), or rural and remote (MMM3–7) using the Modified Monash Model (MMM). Descriptive statistics and trend analyses were used to identify changes in demographics and work settings over the decade. Results The number of late-career GPs increased across all regions between 2013 and 2024: by 82.6% in rural and remote areas (454 to 829), 67.5% in regional areas (209 to 350), and 67.5% in metropolitan areas (2,523 to 4,226). Female representation increased over time, particularly in rural (15.2% to 26.9%) and metropolitan areas (19.9% to 33.1%), but remained low in regional areas (1.7% to 3.3%). There was an increase in the proportion of Australia/New Zealand-trained GPs across all regions: rural (70.4% to 72.8%), regional (57.8% to 68.6%), and metropolitan (60.0% to 61.2%). However, Indigenous representation remained low across all regions throughout the study period. Rural late-career GPs predominantly worked in private settings. The number working in hospital settings and Aboriginal health organisations increased over time. The proportion of late-career GPs intending to retire within five years increased across all regions: rural (50.2% to 64.5%), regional (56.3% to 67.5%), and metropolitan areas (40.4% to 53.6%). Conclusions The late-career GP workforce in Australia is growing, becoming more gender-diverse, and increasingly locally trained. However, it continues to face challenges with Indigenous representation and impending retirements, particularly in already underserved rural and remote areas.