Doctors and nurses looking to improve their work-life balance after the stress of COVID-19 are testing St John of God’s health system as the private hospital sector struggles with rising health costs and funding shortfalls.

St John of God Care chief executive Brian Pyne, reporting a reduction in annual losses of $54.4 million on a 7 per cent increase in revenue of $2.07 billion, said a large bank of leave applications from carers who chasing more time with their families, checked how the group was coping with higher demand for its services through staff registers and patient bookings.