The capital's public hospital emergency departments continue to perform poorly, ranking last in the nation on a number of key indicators.
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The latest report on government services, published on Friday, paints another bleak picture for the ACT's public health system.
It provided far better news for the government's ambulance service, which recorded the quickest response times in the country in 2018-19.
The report showed that just 32 per cent of patients triaged as "urgent" at the emergency departments were seen within the recommended timeframe in the past financial year.
The NT recorded the next worst result, at 54 per cent.
Less than half of all patients presenting to emergency departments in Canberra were seen on time, the worst rate in the country.
Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith again conceded that emergency department wait times "continued to be a challenge" for the hospitals.
Ms Stephen-Smith highlighted a number of government investments designed to improve results, including the emergency department expansion at Calvary Public Hospital in Bruce and the SPIRE upgrade at Canberra Hospital.
The report also showed the ACT continued to lag behind the rest of the country in treating mental health patients.
Just 43 per cent of mental health-related presentations to the emergency departments were seen within the recommended timeframe in 2017-18, which was the most recent reporting period.
That proportion was 23.5 per cent below the national average.
Mental Health Minister Shane Rattenbury put a positive spin on the data, saying wait time were declining despite the pressure of more patient presentations.
"These results show that although we have more people seeking help for mental health illnesses in Canberra, our mental health services are more responsive in providing support," he said.
"However, we know there is always more work to do to continue to improve our services to ensure the right services are available at the right time, and for those who need it most."
The cost of medical treatment in the ACT continues to be an issue for many Canberrans.
The nation's capital had the second highest proportion of people (between 4.2 and 7.0 per cent) who are delaying a GP visit, or not seeing their doctor at all, due to the cost.
That proportion has been in steady decline since 2014-15, when GP visits were cost prohibitive for almost 10 per cent of Canberrans.
The report published on Friday did include some welcome news for the government.
ACT Ambulance Service recorded the fast response time in the nation, with 90 per cent of ambulances arriving on scene within 14 minutes.
"They do an amazing job on the front line helping our community in times of need," Emergency Services Minister Mick Gentleman said.
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
