Murrumbidgee workforce audit to inform future health education and training pathways

The Murrumbidgee Health and Knowledge Precinct has completed a Health Workforce Needs Audit and Report to support future education, training and workforce planning across the region.

The report is one of the first steps in progressing the Precinct’s Education and Rural Workforce strategic priority, which focuses on growing the regional workforce through the design and delivery of innovative education and training pathways.

The audit provides a high-level overview of the current health workforce across the Murrumbidgee, including population demographics, workforce distribution, service use and future workforce considerations.

It highlights the significant and growing workforce challenges facing the region, driven by factors including an ageing population, increasing care needs, health workforce shortages, geographic dispersion and changing models of care.

The report identifies workforce shortage and maldistribution as key issues across medical, nursing and allied health professions, with rural and remote areas experiencing the greatest challenges. It also highlights the importance of attraction and retention strategies, professional support, career development, digital capability, housing, family supports and education opportunities.

The Murrumbidgee region covers more than 125,000 square kilometres and includes two regional cities, Wagga Wagga and Griffith, along with many small towns and rural communities. This geographic spread creates significant challenges for the delivery of community-based healthcare, aged care and disability services.

The audit will help inform the development of the Education and Rural Workforce Strategy, which aims to strengthen the long-term sustainability of regional health services and support tailored, locally designed education-to-career pathways.

The strategy will explore opportunities to attract, develop and retain a highly skilled workforce, while creating stronger pathways for people to train, work and build meaningful health careers within the Murrumbidgee.

The report also points to the importance of ongoing partnerships between health services, education providers, government, industry and community organisations.

By better understanding current and future workforce needs, the Precinct and its partners can work together to design practical solutions that respond to local challenges and support a stronger regional health system.

The Murrumbidgee Health and Knowledge Precinct will continue working with partners through the Education and Rural Workforce focus area to grow local workforce capacity, strengthen training pathways and support the region’s future health needs.