The COVID-19 pandemic has swelled Australia's health workforce, with more than 140,000 people registering as new practitioners in the past four years. There are now 877,119 people registered across the various health professions, Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency data shows, up 18 per cent on June 2019 numbers. The largest increase was among nurses, up 70,006 people, and significant increases among psychologists (+8564), paramedics (+6841) and pharmacists (+4470). The regulator found an average of 5270 new practitioners were registering each month in the year to July, with nurses making up the vast majority of new professionals (about 3000). Close to 30 per cent more health practitioners were also applying to work in Australia in 2023 than in the months before the pandemic. The latest data showed positive signs but the sector must find ways to further boost the workforce, especially through overseas practitioners, the regulator's chief executive Martin Fletcher said. "We are working closely with governments and employers to identify areas of specific need, which allows us to escalate applications for registration where critical health workforce vacancies need to be addressed," he said. After the pandemic, state and federal governments provided incentives to boost the health workforce, including relocation payments and subsidies for international workers. Since January 2022, more than 27,000 internationally trained practitioners have been registered to work in Australia. Results of an independent review of the regulations for overseas health practitioners, known as the Kruk review, will be unveiled later this year. Mr Fletcher expected it to expand on a number of measures, including cutting the time it takes to assess applications and increasing exam places for internationally qualified registered nurses. AHPRA is also seeking responses to the Kruk review's interim recommendations, especially around English test results and expanding the range of countries recognised under registration standards. The consultation, available to access through the regulator's website, closes on September 13. Australian Associated Press
