The Department of Health has set a target for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to be fully represented in the health workforce within 10 years.
Welcoming the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce Strategic Framework and Implementation Plan 2021–2031, Minister for Health, Greg Hunt said the Plan sought to have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people equally represented alongside non-Indigenous workers across the health sector by 2031.
“It will mean an unprecedented increase in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors, nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, health workers and health practitioners working across the health system through the next decade, providing culturally safe and responsive health and medical care,” Mr Hunt said.
“The Plan aims to lift the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working in the sector from the current 1.8 per cent to 3.43 per cent by 2031, better reflecting overall population numbers,” he said.
“Under the Plan, a wide range of actions will be implemented at a national, State and Territory and regional level across the health system.”
Mr Hunt said the actions would attract, recruit and retain Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across all roles, levels and locations.
The Minister said structural, systemic, organisational and personal barriers to growing and retaining a skilled workforce would be removed and there would be clear pathways for health students.
He said the 3.43 per cent workforce target matched the percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people expected to be in the working population by 2031.
The Department’s 155-page Workforce Plan can be accessed at this PS News link.
