HWAC Tackles Shortage Issues

29 August 2001

Health Workforce Advisory Committee Tackles Shortage Issues

A specialist committee providing advice to Government on health workforce issues is now well under way.

The Health Workforce Advisory Committee (HWAC), recently set up to provide independent assessment for the Minister on current health workforce issues, has had three meetings.

Acting chair Karen Guilliland said that in order to clearly examine New Zealand's health workforce needs, HWAC is first focusing on a preliminary stocktake, or situation analysis, of current workforce capacity.

"This stocktake document will look at issues and challenges for the workforce, and will be undertaken between August and December," she said. "These issues are expected to include national and international recruitment for New Zealand doctors, and examining the reasons behind nursing and other health workforce shortages. The committee will seek input from a wide range of organisations and groups for this document. A vision statement will follow early next year."

The Committee's key tasks are to: Provide an independent assessment for the Minister of Health of current workforce capacity and forseeable workforce needs to meet the objectives of the New Zealand Health and Disability strategies Advise the Minister on national goals for the health workforce and recommend strategies to develop appropriate workforce capacity Facilitate co-operation between organisations involved in health workforce education and training to ensure a strategic approach to health workforce supply, demand and development Report on the effectiveness of recommended strategies and identify required changes.

The Committee is chaired by Prof Andrew Hornblow, and deputy chaired by Karen Guilliland. The other members of the committee are: Mike Gourley, Jane Lawless, Clive Ross, Erihana Ryan, George Salmond, Margaret Southwick, Ralph Wiles and Ian Wilson.

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