Doctor numbers up by 15% since pandemic, AHPRA says
Most of the 'critical pandemic-fuelled' shortages are being adressed but more work is needed, CEO Martin Fletcher says.
It may not feel like it, but the health workforce has grown by almost a fifth since the pandemic began, including almost 18,000 newly registered doctors, according to the latest AHPRA figures.
The number of registered medical practitioners increased by 15% since June 2019, with more than 136,700 doctors now on the register.
And almost 30% more health professionals were applying to work in Australia in 2023 than in the months before the pandemic, AHPRA said in a statement.
“Many of the most critical pandemic-fuelled health workforce shortages are progressively being addressed, however continued work is needed to address key areas of need,” the report said.
