Submission: Inquiry into Access to and Affordability of Medical Specialists in Australia

AHPA’s submission to the Inquiry into Access to and Affordability of Medical Specialists in Australia argues that tackling excessive specialist fees must be matched by reforms to how patients reach specialist care, including direct referral pathways from allied health, longer referral validity, and better digital information sharing to cut delays and duplication. It also calls for priority investment in rural and thin-market access, expanded allied-health-led triage models, and an outcomes framework that measures timeliness and patient results alongside cost.