DEMAND for ACT health services is growing despite Canberrans being generally healthy, according to a new report.

The 2014 Report on Government Services shows demand on Emergency Departments has increased, with the highest number of annual ED presentations on record occurring in 2012/13, with 11,628 operations completed, up from 11,362 in 2011-12 and 9,778 reported in 2009-10.

“This significant increase in demand is proving challenging for our hospitals,” says Chief Minister Katy Gallagher.

“However I am pleased to see that since this reporting period ACT Health data shows that in the first six months of 2013-14 59 per cent of people have been seen within benchmarked times which is an initial improvement of 8 per cent.”

The report also showed the ACT was a largely healthy community, with lower mortality rates and slightly higher than normal amounts of adults in normal weight range.

The average life expectancy at birth for both males and females in 2010-2012 is the highest in Australia at 81.2 and 85.1 years respectively compared to the national average of 79.9 years for males and 84.3 years for females; while rates for breast cancer and bowel cancer were slightly higher than national averages, however rates of melanoma, lung cancer and cervical cancer are lower than the national average.