KEEP IN TOUCH
(07) 3105 7800
Turrbal and Jagera Country
Level 4, 348 Edward Street
Brisbane QLD 4000
Health Workforce Queensland undertakes an annual primary care Health Workforce Needs Assessment (HWNA) for remote, rural and regional areas of Queensland.
The 2024 report provides an update of current and emerging issues generally and by profession, as well as identifying primary care workforce and service gaps. The report also highlights priority areas by Primary Health Network (PHN) region.
This year the registered counsellor workforce was included in the survey and debuted at the third highest mean workforce gap ranking behind psychology, which again remained the highest. The other workforce gap means in the top five were speech pathology, general practitioner (GP) and social work. A thematic analysis of workforce gap comments found the main themes related to access, funding, remuneration, infrastructure and transport.
The highest service gap rating means were for community-based rehabilitation services, alcohol and other drugs services, mental health services, oral health services, and social support services. For the first time since the HWNA commenced in 2017, mental health services moved from the highest service gap rating to the third highest. However, in the comments the most frequently mentioned service gap remained mental health. Across all the primary care services mentioned, the lack of services and access to services were the major themes.
You can read the full report by clicking the button below.
Image credit: Todd Stein
