METHODOLOGY FOR THE STUDY AND PROJECTION OF SURGICAL AND ANESTHETIC WORKFORCE

The Australian Medical Workforce Advisory Committee has studied the sp ecialties of anaesthesia, general surgery, orthopaedics, ophthalmology and urology in Australia. A methodology is presented for rationalizin g various data sources to establish numbers and characteristics of the existing workforce, for applying a variety of information to establis h opinion about current adequacy, to project future needs and to advis e the mechanisms to ensure delivery of services. This study emphasizes the importance of the cooperative input of governments, health admini strations and professional bodies, careful gathering of fundamental da ta, the studied application of uneven pieces of evidence, recognition of changes in needs and demands, the overlap of sectors of the medical workforce in service delivery, and the requirement for continued stud y and monitoring. The current size of the workforce in these surgical specialties is found to be satisfactory overall but with some uneven d istribution. The anaesthetic workforce is found to be slightly deficie nt in number overall. The growth of future demand for these specialtie s was estimated between 1% and 3% per annum and requirements for incre ases in trainee numbers to meet these projected future demands are def ined.