Australia is facing a rising cancer burden: in 2023, about 165,000 new cases were diagnosed (≈ 452 per day) and 51,300 people died from cancer (≈ 140 per day). While imaging services are widely available, access to radiologists is uneven — for example, the Northern Territory has only ~2 active clinical radiologists per 100,000 people compared to ~10–11 per 100,000 in several other states.

This highlights the critical role radiologists play in cancer care, and the challenge of ensuring timely screening and diagnosis for Australians in rural and remote areas.

Radiologists in Screening Programs

National screening programs highlight just how visible their work is. For instance, take Breast Screen Australia, where over 1.7 million women participated in 2020–21, and radiologists helped identify more than 11,000 cancers. Every single mammogram in this program is read by at least two radiologists to maximise accuracy.

Beyond breast screening, radiologists are also central to lung cancer trials, where CT scans are being tested in high-risk groups, and they play a key role in assessing follow-up investigations for bowel and cervical cancer. Although patients may never meet the radiologist face to face, their expertise is woven into every stage of Australia’s screening programs.

The Rural Access Challenge

While city residents may take access to imaging for granted, the picture is very different outside metropolitan Australia. Only around 12–14% of radiologists practise in regional and rural areas. This workforce imbalance creates barriers such as:

• Longer waits for scans to be reported.

• Limited access to advanced imaging like MRI or PET, often requiring long travel.

• Fewer interventional radiology services outside major centres.

These barriers matter. A delayed scan can mean a delayed diagnosis, which in turn can affect treatment options and outcomes.

The good news is that technology is starting to bridge this gap. Teleradiology services allow specialists in metropolitan centres to report scans taken in rural hospitals. Mobile imaging units bring mammography and CT closer to communities. And increasingly, digital appointment booking and coordination platforms are helping clinics connect patients with imaging services more efficiently — reducing bottlenecks and making access smoother, even when specialists are based far away.

Rural Australians still face challenges, but these innovations show how smarter systems can help ensure timely cancer care, regardless of postcode.

Teamwork Behind the Scenes

Radiologists rarely meet patients face to face, yet their input is central to how cancer care unfolds. In multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTs), they present imaging findings alongside oncologists, surgeons, and pathologists. These discussions often shape the entire treatment plan.

A single scan can carry enormous weight. It may reveal whether surgery is possible, how extensive it should be, or if chemotherapy or radiotherapy is the better first step. Radiologists also help monitor whether treatment is working — or if plans need to change.

For patients, this behind-the-scenes teamwork can make the difference between early, effective intervention and delayed, more complex care.

Looking Ahead: Access, Collaboration, and Better Outcomes

From the first mammogram to follow-up scans years after treatment, radiologists are silent but essential partners in the cancer journey. Their expertise ensures cancers are detected earlier, diagnosed more accurately, and monitored effectively.

For Australians — especially those in rural and remote areas — access to radiologists isn’t just a matter of logistics. It can determine how quickly cancer is found, how effectively it’s treated, and ultimately, the chance of survival.

At the same time, the way healthcare teams work together is changing. Radiologists are increasingly looking to connect more directly with GPs and primary care providers through digital platforms that simplify appointment booking and streamline referrals. This makes it easier for clinics to link patients with the right imaging services, reduce bottlenecks, and ensure results flow quickly back to the treating team.

Rethinking the Lens on Women’s Health

Almost nine in ten Australian women visit a GP each year — making general practice the most frequent point of contact with the health system. 

Despite this, much of what happens in those consultations is framed around reproductive needs: contraception, Pap smears, pregnancy care, or menopause. These remain essential, but they are not the full story. Women’s health extends far beyond reproduction, encompassing chronic disease, mental wellbeing, ageing, and the profound health impacts of violence and trauma.

Rethinking the Lens on Women’s Health

Women’s health should be viewed as a whole-of-life journey — from adolescence to older age, from preventive health to mental wellbeing, from chronic disease management to recovery from trauma.

The National Women’s Health Strategy 2020–2030 reflects this perspective, identifying priorities such as healthy ageing, chronic conditions, mental health, and addressing cardiovascular conditions. Yet in everyday primary care, many of these remain underexplored. That gap leaves women at risk of missed diagnoses, delayed treatment, and poorer long-term outcomes.

Why Primary Care Must Step Up

General practice is uniquely positioned to shift this paradigm. Every encounter — whether for a flu shot, contraception review, or blood test — offers an opportunity to screen, educate, and intervene earlier.

Expanding the scope means:

• Detecting cardiovascular and metabolic risks before they cause harm.

• Recognising overlapping symptoms of stress, fatigue, and mood changes as potential indicators of mental health concerns.

• Creating safe environments to screen for family and domestic violence.

• Supporting women through the ageing process, not only through reproductive milestones.

This is not about adding extra workload but about making each encounter count.

Beyond Reproduction: Key Areas of Focus

Healthy ageing, chronic disease, and mental health are just as vital to women’s health as fertility or contraception.

• Healthy Ageing & Bone Health
  Osteoporosis and fall risk increase after menopause, yet preventive screening often lags. Primary care can integrate assessments and advice early.

• Chronic Disease & Prevention
  Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Australian women. Regular risk checks for blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes should be routine in GP care.

• Mental Health & Wellbeing
  Women experience higher rates of anxiety and depression. Perinatal mood disorders, if untreated, affect both mother and child. GPs are often the first to notice these patterns.

• Violence, Trauma & Abuse
  With one in three women experiencing intimate partner violence, trauma-informed screening and referral can be lifesaving.

• Reproductive Health (Beyond Basics)
  Contraception, STI testing, fertility planning, menopause, and sexual function remain important but must be placed within a broader health framework.

A Patient’s Journey

Take Sarah, a 45-year-old who visits her GP for a contraception review. Instead of focusing only on medication renewal, her doctor notices her blood pressure creeping up, opens a conversation about mood and home stress, and addresses menopausal symptoms. Within one consult, Sarah receives preventive care for hypertension, support for mental health, and a tailored menopause plan.

A year later, her cardiovascular risk is managed, her wellbeing supported, and her quality of life improved. This is women’s health done right — beyond reproduction.

Enablers in the Australian Context

For clinics to embed this broader approach, the right supports are essential:

• Education and training in menopause, trauma-informed care, and chronic disease in women.

• Adequate funding and rebates that recognise longer preventive consultations.

• Digital tools and prompts within best practice software to flag preventive checks.

• Referral networks linking GPs to psychologists, allied health, family violence services, and community resources.

• Culturally safe care, designed with and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, culturally diverse groups, and LGBTIQ+ communities.

One advantage of the digital age is the rise of platforms and professional networks that provide continuing education, practical resources, and collaborative spaces for clinicians across disciplines. These tools allow busy clinicians to stay updated and supported, making it easier to bring whole-of-life women’s health into daily practice.

Final Word

Women’s health is a lifelong journey. By rethinking the lens in primary care, we can prevent chronic disease, improve mental wellbeing, reduce inequities, and ultimately help women live healthier, longer lives.

The strategies and policies already exist — the task now is to bring them into practice. With the support of digital platforms and collaborative networks, including those like RxTro, clinicians can access the education and tools needed to deliver truly holistic women’s health across the lifespan.

Mental health is one of the most common concerns presenting in primary care. In fact, research shows that up to 71% of GP consultations in Australia involve psychological issues of some kind. General Practitioners (GPs) are usually the first point of contact when people seek help, but GPs cannot — and should not — be expected to manage every aspect of mental health alone. That’s where psychologists come in.

A shared-care model , also called collaborative or integrated care, enables GPs and psychologists to work together in a structured way. It ensures patients receive timely, effective, and holistic care that addresses both mental and physical health.

What is Shared-Care in Mental Health?

Shared care refers to planned, structured collaboration between GPs, psychologists, and often other professionals like psychiatrists, social workers, or mental health nurses.

Key features include:

• Joint treatment planning.

• Clear role definitions (who prescribes, who delivers therapy, and who monitors progress).

• Ongoing communication between professionals.

• Regular outcome measurement and treatment adjustment.

• Patient-centred care where individual goals guide treatment.

This model is backed by extensive international evidence. Meta-analyses show that collaborative care produces better outcomes for depression and anxiety than usual care at 6–12 months.

How GPs and Psychologists Work Together

Here’s how collaboration typically looks in practice:

1. Detection and Referral

   • The GP identifies possible mental health concerns during consultation.

   • A referral to a psychologist is made, often under a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) through Australia’s Better Access program.

2. Assessment and Planning

   • The psychologist conducts a detailed psychological assessment.

   • Together with the GP, they align on a treatment plan: therapy, medication, or stepped-care interventions.

3. Ongoing Therapy and Monitoring

   • The psychologist provides evidence-based interventions such as CBT, ACT, or interpersonal therapy.

   • The GP may monitor medication, physical health, or comorbid conditions.

4. Communication

   • Psychologists provide written updates or feedback to the GP about progress.

   • In integrated clinics, case reviews or joint sessions may be held.

5. Escalation or Step-Down

   • If the patient isn’t improving, the team may involve a psychiatrist or intensify therapy.

   • If the patient recovers, care may step down to maintenance or GP monitoring.

Evidence for Shared-Care in the Australian Context

Australia has made considerable progress in integrating mental health care into primary practice, and the evidence is clear. Approximately 87% of Australians visit a General Practitioner (GP) annually, with the majority of these consultations addressing psychological issues. This underscores the crucial role GPs play in identifying and addressing mental health needs across the population.

One of the main pathways for collaboration is the Better Access programme, which allows GPs to refer patients to psychologists under a mental health treatment plan, with Medicare rebates available to subsidise sessions. In 2022–23, Australians accessed about 6.43 million subsidised psychology sessions , a slight decline from the previous year, showing both the high demand and the sensitivity of access to policy changes.

Evidence also shows the value of shared care in rural settings , where access can be more difficult. For example, a GP clinic trial involving psychologists, mental health nurses, and visiting psychiatrists demonstrated improved continuity of care and better access for people with mood disorders, substance use issues, and psychotic illnesses. Such models illustrate the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration where specialist services are sparse.

Finally, Australia has embraced stepped care approaches in primary mental health. This means that patients can access low-intensity interventions first, such as guided self-help or brief therapy, with more intensive treatment available as needs escalate. The stepped care model optimises resource utilisation while maintaining treatment responsiveness to individual needs.

Benefits of the Shared-Care Model

Shared care between GPs and psychologists offers significant advantages for both patients and clinicians. Coordinated care consistently improves patient outcomes, especially for depression and anxiety disorders, according to studies. By working together, GPs and psychologists can identify issues earlier, ensure timely treatment, and reduce the risk of conditions becoming chronic. This approach recognises the close link between physical and mental health care and supports their integration.

For patients, shared care also means better access to services, especially when psychologists are co-located within primary care clinics or available via referral pathways like Medicare's Better Access programme. Continuity of care is enhanced, stigma is reduced, and people feel supported by a team rather than having to navigate the system on their own. For GPs, working in partnership with psychologists provides valuable support, helping them feel less isolated when managing complex mental health cases. Together, these benefits contribute to higher levels of patient satisfaction and more efficient use of healthcare resources.

Challenges in the Australian System

Despite its promise, shared care is not without obstacles in Australia. A major barrier is funding. While the Better Access programme provides rebates for psychological services, the gap between rebate levels and actual session costs often leaves patients with significant out-of-pocket expenses. Policy shifts — such as the reduction in subsidised sessions after COVID-19 — have also created uncertainty and criticism from clinicians and consumers alike.

Workforce shortages are another concern. Psychologists are in high demand across the country, with shortages most acute in rural and remote areas. The result creates inequities in access, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and low-income groups. On top of this, coordination and communication challenges persist: different record-keeping systems, unclear role boundaries, and limited feedback loops can reduce the effectiveness of collaboration. Finally, scaling up integrated models requires not only more staff and resources but also cultural shifts within organisations to foster trust and teamwork.

Why Shared-Care Matters for Mental Health

The shared-care model between GPs and psychologists is not just theory — it is already being applied across Australia, from metropolitan clinics to rural GP practices. Programmes like Better Access have made psychological care more available, but system pressures — workforce shortages, policy changes, and inequities — remain barriers.

For patients, the advantages are clear: earlier help, better outcomes, and more coordinated care. For health professionals, collaboration means support, shared responsibility, and the ability to deliver more holistic, person-centred care.

As Australia continues to reform its mental health system, strengthening shared-care models is one of the most promising ways forward.