Out-of-pocket GP fees highest on record: Newcastle doctors charging up to $104 for appointments

Dr Fiona Van Leeuwen says 'market forces can't be allowed to determine what happens with people's health'. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

The average out-of-pocket cost for Hunter patients to see a GP has risen to $48 - the highest on record for the district, Medicare data shows.

This cost, from the March quarter, was a 15 per cent rise compared to the same time last year, and a 55 per cent rise in a decade.