New data given to News Corp mastheads by federal health minister Mark Butler shows more than 1.1 million calls to the national health advice service since 1 January, although the methodology used to calculate avoided EDpresentations remains unclear.
In a rare piece of good news for the federal health minister, Mark Butler says the 1800MEDICARE service has prevented more than 170,000 potential emergency department presentations or calls to triple zero in its first 10 months of operation.
Mr Butler provided the figures exclusively to News Corp overnight, revealing that the free national health advice service had handled more than 1.1 million calls since its launch on 1 January 2026.
The claimed diversions represent approximately 15.5% of the national call volume, or roughly one in six calls.
“1800MEDICARE has already had a significant impact on state and territory hospitals, with more than 170,000 people diverted from busy emergency departments or from calling triple-0,” Mr Butler was quoted as saying by News Corp.
The government has invested more than $200 million in the Healthdirect service so far, which provides round-the-clock telephone advice from registered nurses and access to other healthcare options, including urgent care services and free GP telehealth consultations.
The figures suggest substantial demand for alternatives to hospital emergency departments, particularly in NSW and Victoria, which together accounted for more than 824,000 calls.
However, the information published by News Corp does not explain how the government determined that a caller had been diverted from an ED or triple zero, or whether the claimed diversions were verified against subsequent healthcare use.
NSW leads demand
NSW accounted for almost 472,000 calls, with more than 73,900 classified as diversions from emergency care.
Another 53,000 callers were referred to urgent care services, while more than 20,600 received free GP consultations through the helpline.
Victoria recorded almost 353,000 calls and at least 51,000 reported diversions. Almost 28,420 callers were directed to urgent care services, while 18,816 received GP consultations.
South Australia recorded more than 116,630 calls, including more than 15,920 reported diversions. More than 9540 callers were referred to urgent care services and 5603 received free GP consultations.
Queensland recorded at least 31,328 calls, of which almost 3260 were classified as diversions. At least 3268 callers were referred to urgent care services and 3645 received GP consultations.
Tasmania recorded more than 31,000 calls and at least 3657 diversions. Almost 4260 callers were referred to urgent care services, with another 1988 receiving GP consultations.
In the Northern Territory, more than 8100 calls were recorded, including at least 1050 reported diversions. Almost 700 callers were referred to urgent care services and 515 received GP consultations.
Separate figures for Western Australia and the ACT were not included in the information published by News Corp.
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Measuring the impact
The reported diversion rate varied between jurisdictions, ranging from approximately 10% in Queensland to almost 16% in NSW.
But without an explanation of the calculation method, it was not possible to establish how many of the 170,000 callers would otherwise have attended an emergency department or contacted triple zero.
The figures also do not establish whether urgent care referrals and GP consultations overlap with the reported diversions.
Mr Butler told News Corp the service was designed to give Australians access to professional health advice regardless of where they lived or when they needed assistance.
“No matter the time of day or location, Australians can quickly get the expert advice they need to manage their health concerns,” he said.
“The Albanese government is making it easier for Australians to access health care when and where they need it, with one million calls already made to 1800MEDICARE.”
Callers to 1800MEDICARE can speak to a registered nurse who assesses their concerns, provides advice and can arrange further care, including after-hours GP telehealth services where appropriate.