Doctor Shortage Tip Of Iceberg -- Prof. Max Abbott

Doctor shortage tip of the iceberg

It is not only junior doctors who are in short supply.

Professor Max Abbott, Dean of AUT University's Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, said today that there are "significant gaps, if not chasms" in most health professions across the country.

"This is not a temporary blip. It's a worldwide trend and the major threat facing the health sector today and for the foreseeable future."

Professor Abbott said that while the crisis is global, New Zealand has particular difficulties, including competition from Australia, North America and Europe.

"One reason for the short-fall is success - the significant growth in the provision of hospital and community services during the past five years. It needs to be said that we are actually doing much better, the challenge is to sustain this and prevent system failure."

According to Professor Abbott, other factors include the ageing population; changes in disease patterns; advances in clinical knowledge and technology; increasing consumer expectations; ageing and feminisation of the health workforce; changing career expectations and work/life balance; previous inadequacies in workforce planning and education funding; net migration of the workforce and student loans.

Professor Abbott said recently-released Department of Labour statistics indicate large shortfalls across the spectrum of health professions. Those of major concern, other than medicine, include pharmacy, psychology, dental therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, nursing and midwifery.

"There are also significant shortfalls in some smaller groups such as radiation therapists, podiatrists and radiologists that were not picked up.

"The current UK recruitment drive will help the junior doctor shortage short-term. But this does not address the wider health workforce issue. More than 40% of our doctors and 20% of our nurses are overseas-trained now. Without them we would be in major strife, but we also need to grow more of our own and hold on to them.

"There is no quick or single fix and a number of positive things are being done or planned. On the downside, I have concerns about the Tertiary Education Commission's plans to cap the number of tertiary level places across the country. At AUT we are starting to see student numbers growing strongly in our health programmes. If new intakes are cut or even held, we will get a downward spiral that will have lasting effects."

ENDS

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