Overview

The health and welfare workforces deliver diverse services through many private and public organisations. Combined, there are more than 1 million people employed in delivery of health and welfare services in Australia. Some occupations, for example nurses, are represented in both workforces. 

Latest findings

3,210 domestic students commenced medical undergraduate training in 2015 About 2 in 5 nurses and midwives were aged 50 and over in 2015 (39.0%). Their average age was 44.4 years In 2015, there were 360,008 nurses and midwives registered, with 331,015 employed in nursing and midwifery In 2015, 2 in 5 employed medical practitioners were women (40.1%) 102,805 medical practitioners were registered in 2015, with 88,040 employed in medicine On average, medical practitioners worked 42.4 hours per week in 2015: for men, 44.9 hours and for women, 38.6 hours 9 in 10 employed nurses and midwives were women (90.3%). Among midwives, almost all were women (98.6%) About 1 in 4 medical practitioners were aged 55 or older (27.2%) 95.1% of all employed practitioners worked in a clinical role

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Highlights

88,000medical practitioners were employed in 2015
In 2015, 170,300 people (36% of the welfare workforce) were early childhood education and care workers, 123,200 (26%) were aged and disabled care workers
478,000people were employed in the welfare workforce in 2015
Workforce summaryUp-to-date workforce summary statistics can be found on the Department of Health website
Numbers & ratesof employed optometrists were highest in Major cities and were very low in Remote and Very remote areas
307,000nurses and midwives were employed in 2015
Dental workforceIn 2015 there were about 57 dentists, 4 dental therapists, 5 dental hygienists per 100,000 people