Workforce Data Insights

Each year Health Workforce Queensland (HWQ) produces a suite of reports that paint a picture of Queensland’s rural and remote health workforce, their perceptions of gaps in workforce and services, and insights on current workforce issues.

HWQ maintains an up-to-date database of medical practitioners working in a general practice context in remote, rural, and regional Queensland (private practices, small hospitals, Royal Flying Doctor Service [RFDS] and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services [ACCHS]) informed by numerous sources including an annual survey of general practices and general practitioners (GPs). Information generated for the Minimum Data Set (MDS) report allows for monitoring of GP workforce trends and distribution and supports GP workforce planning.

The Health Workforce Needs Assessment (HWNA) and its companion PHN Region: Addendum Report summarise the findings from annual surveys and stakeholder consultations, providing a snapshot of medical, nursing, midwifery, allied health and First Nations health workforces in remote and rural Queensland. The reports prioritise SA2 locations in terms of workforce shortages and identify strategies to improve sustainable access to quality health practitioners (pp38-40), including the outcomes desired.

This year, HWQ undertook to put the desired outcome “Higher rates of health workforce retention in remote, rural, and regional areas” under the spotlight by examining our data to understand the impact of the Health Workforce Scholarships Program (HWSP). Analysis of the data revealed that 88.5% of recipients of a scholarship or bursary under this program in Queensland from 2018 - 2021 were still working in rural and remote settings in 2023. Whilst the effect on retention is not directly causal, it provides an indication that investment in our rural and remote workforce has an impact on not only quality but also sustainability of health professional services in the bush.

Another focus under the spotlight this year was the desired outcome “Greater numbers of future workforce taking up careers in rural health”. We looked at the impact of our GROW Rural program which aims to influence the location of practice of health students across a range of allied health, nursing, midwifery and medical disciplines upon their graduation. What we were able to show was that since the inception of GROW Rural, almost double the number of students that have completed the program were practicing rurally in MM2-7 compared with unsuccessful applicants to the program (57.14% vs 21.87%).