Australians recognise the effects of climate change but not its consequences for health system resilience and workforce capacity

Public perceptions of climate change impacts on health systems and the health workforce remain underexplored yet are vital for informing policy to improve system performance and resilience. This study examined Australians’ views on their health system’s performance and its resilience to the effects of climate change. This first-of-its-kind survey canvassed a nationally representative sample of adults (≥ 18 years) capturing views on climate change, climate-related impacts, health system performance, and system readiness. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted. Adults (n = 6030) from all Australian States and Territories participated; 72.6% agreed that Australia is feeling the effects of climate change. Over half (55.2%) believed fundamental changes were needed to improve the health system; 61.2% identified the need for more health professionals. Nearly 39% believed that climate change was not affecting the health system, 36.6% thought it was prepared for climate-related emergencies. Opinions on preparedness varied significantly by demographics and were moderated by level of concern about climate change, views of system performance, and belief that the system was already climate-affected (χ 2 (22) = 1894.43, p < 0.001). This national survey of Australians reveals limited public understanding of how climate change affects health systems and the health workforce, which may undermine public support for health system adaptation.