There were 566 otolaryngologists registered to practise in Australia this year, with more than half concentrated in just two states, the latest Medical Board of Australia report shows.
Registrant data from 1 January 2024 to 31 March 2024 reveals six more specialists were performing otolaryngology-head and neck surgery nationwide in this quarter than the previous quarter, October to December 2023.
More than half (57%) were concentrated in just two states; NSW has 181 ENT specialists and Victoria has 140.
Queensland has the next largest concentration at 114 followed by 52 in Western Australia, 49 in South Australia, nine in the Australian Capital Territory, seven in Tasmania and four in the Northern Territory. Ten had no principal place of practice.
Maldistribution and shortages in the ENT workforce are an ongoing issue.
They were previously highlighted in the National Health Workforce Dataset (NHWDS) Medical Specialties report 2016 which revealed that 460 otolaryngologists were employed in Australia, of whom 81.5% worked in the private sector. Most, 85%, were located in cities.
Meanwhile the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) has recently released new details of its plan to fast-track certain internationally qualified medical specialists into the national health system without the need to sit exams.
The consultation is part of major workforce reforms following the ‘Kruk Review’ into removing “unnecessary regulatory barriers” faced by internationally qualified health professionals. It’s hoped cutting red tape will make Australia a more attractive destination for foreign health professionals and alleviate workforce pressures, leading to better healthcare for the population.
The MBA has released a draft consultation closing 3 July 2024 to meet reform deadlines set by Australia’s health ministers.
GPs, anaesthetists, obstetricians and gynaecologists, and psychiatrists are the priority specialties for now, with the fast-track pathway targeted to start for GPs in October 2024, and December 2024 for other priority medical specialties.
