The health care workforce incorporates a range of vocations operating in different industry settings; medical practitioners, nurses, allied health professionals (physiotherapists, dieticians, occupational therapists, social workers, indigenous health workers, etc) and other occupations, working in hospitals and other institutional settings. A broad definition of the health workforce provision of care includes “acute hospitals, people’s homes, residential facilities, workplaces and schools.” Geographic location of residence is defined as “cities, outer metropolitan areas, rural areas and remote areas.”
The health industry represents approximately 59% of the Health and Community Services workforce in Australia. Hospitals account for 31.2% of this workforce and Medical and Other Health Services account for a further 27.7%. In Queensland, Health employs approximately 164,190 workers as at May 2011, or 7% of the Queensland workforce.
The 2006 ABS Census of Population and Housing reported that there were 548,400 health workers in Australia. An analysis of published data on occupation and industry setting shows that 52% of health workers are employed in hospitals and residential care, 25% in primary care, 5% are specialists, 4% are employed in community non-primary care, and 14% are employed in other health occupations. Out of the total paid health professionals in Australia, approximately 55% are nurses, 23% medical practitioners and 9% allied health professionals.
For more information view the 2012 Industry Skills and Workforce Development Report - Hospitals and Other Health summary
