The rising cost of living is placing increasing pressure on Australian households. Essential workers need access to secure housing, affordable food, and transport so they can continue to provide essential services to the community. Now, more than ever, we need to advocate for meaningful cost-of-living relief for essential workers.
HSU members are hearing firsthand how people are being forced to delay or go without necessary healthcare because they cannot afford the cost of seeing a specialist. When people cannot access care when they need it, their health can suffer, conditions can worsen and pressure on our hospitals can increase.
The Federal Government is examining access to and affordability of medical specialist services in Australia, which includes identifying the barriers to access and prioritising measures to address the rising cost of living.
But are these measures working, and do they address what HSU members need?
By sharing your experiences of accessing and affording healthcare, and the impact of rising cost-of-living on your household, you can help inform the HSU’s submission to Parliamentary inquiries and strengthen HSU advocacy on the cost-of-living policies that matter most to our members.
Who is conducting the study? The survey is being carried out by your union.
What is involved? If you participate, the survey will ask you questions about accessing and affording healthcare. It should take around 10-15 minutes or less to complete. The survey will close on 12 October 2026.
Is it confidential? What you say in the survey is confidential. We won’t share your details or tell anyone who you are, who you work for or where you work. If we use any quotes from your responses, they will be anonymised.
