HWA Annual Report 2011-2012 - Health Workforce Australia

ANNUAL REPORT 

2011-2012 

An Australian Government Initiative 

hwa.gov.au

Editor: Anne Walker 

Design: Andrew Williams 

Photography: Brett Sheridan, Bret Hartwig, Nic Montagu Image + Motion, James Buchan 

Cover: Inter-professional learning through simulation, Edith Cowan University Health Simulation Centre. 

Copies of this annual report are publicly available on the website: www.hwa.gov.au 

Or by contacting HWA: 

T: 1800 707 351 

P: GPO Box 2098, Adelaide SA 5001 

E: hwa@hwa.gov.au 

This annual report is prepared and submitted in accordance with all relevant Acts. 

ISBN: 978-0-9873201-9-3

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 

8th October 2012 

The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP 

Minister for Health 

Parliament House 

Canberra ACT 2600 

Dear Minister 

On behalf of Health Workforce Australia, I have pleasure in presenting our annual 

report for the year ended 30 June 2012. 

The report is forwarded in accordance with Section 9 of the Commonwealth 

Authorities and Companies Act 1997. 

This report provides information so that you, as the responsible supervising Minister, 

the Commonwealth Parliament and users of Health Workforce Australia’s services can 

make an informed judgment about our performance during the 2011-12 financial year. 

The report has been prepared in line with the Commonwealth Authorities (Annual 

Reporting) Orders 2011 and the Finance Minister’s Orders (Financial Statements for 

reporting periods ending on or after 1 July 2011) made by the Finance Minister under 

the authority of Section 48 of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 

1997. 

The Directors are responsible under Section 9 of the Commonwealth Authorities and 

Companies Act 1997 for the preparation and content of the report. Directors resolved 

out of session on 20 September 2012 to approve the report. 

Yours faithfully 

The Hon James McGinty 

Chairman of the Board 

Health Workforce Australia 

ANNUAL REPORT 2011-2012 Health Workforce Australia

CONTENTS 

FOREWORD FROM THE CHAIR ................................................................................................................................. 6 

CEO REPORT .............................................................................................................................................................. 8 

ABOUT HEALTH WORKFORCE AUSTRALIA ............................................................................................................ 11 

Goal ........................................................................................................................................................................... 12 

Objectives ................................................................................................................................................................. 12 

Role and context ....................................................................................................................................................... 12 

Values ........................................................................................................................................................................ 13 

HIGHLIGHTS ............................................................................................................................................................. 14 

BUILDING WORKFORCE CAPACITY ........................................................................................................................ 17 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers ............................................................................................... 18 

Clinical training reform .............................................................................................................................................. 19 

Clinical supervision support .................................................................................................................................. 19 

Clinical training funding ........................................................................................................................................ 19 

Integrated regional clinical training networks ...................................................................................................... 20 

Simulated learning environments ......................................................................................................................... 20 

Nursing and midwifery graduate jobs information portal .................................................................................... 21 

International health professionals ............................................................................................................................. 22 

Attraction and marketing ..................................................................................................................................... 22 

National policy ...................................................................................................................................................... 22 

Pathways into practice .......................................................................................................................................... 23 

BOOSTING WORKFORCE PRODUCTIVITY ............................................................................................................. 24 

Aged care workforce reform ..................................................................................................................................... 25 

Health professionals prescribing pathway ................................................................................................................ 26 

Oral Health Scope of Practice Review ...................................................................................................................... 27 

Physician assistants .................................................................................................................................................... 28 

Workforce flexibility: Competency ............................................................................................................................ 29 

Workforce flexibility: Expanding workforce scope .................................................................................................... 30 

IMPROVING WORKFORCE DISTRIBUTION ............................................................................................................. 31 

International health professionals - deployment and retention ................................................................................ 32 

National Cancer Workforce Strategy ........................................................................................................................ 33 

National Rural and Remote Health Workforce Innovation and Reform Strategy ..................................................... 34 

Rural medical generalists .......................................................................................................................................... 35 

HOW WE WORK ....................................................................................................................................................... 36 

Building the evidence ............................................................................................................................................... 37 

National Health Workforce Innovation and Reform Strategic Framework for Action 2011-2015........................ 37 

Health Workforce 2025 ......................................................................................................................................... 37 

Australia’s Health Workforce Series ...................................................................................................................... 38 

National Statistical Resource ................................................................................................................................ 38 

Specialist workforce studies ................................................................................................................................. 39 

Providing leadership ................................................................................................................................................. 40 

Leadership for sustainable change ....................................................................................................................... 40 

Healthy Australia Series ........................................................................................................................................ 40 

Working in collaboration ........................................................................................................................................... 41 

Future Health Leaders .......................................................................................................................................... 41 

Consumers Health Forum ..................................................................................................................................... 41 

Research collaboration ......................................................................................................................................... 41 

Allied Health Stakeholder Consultative Group .................................................................................................... 42 

4 


GOVERNANCE ......................................................................................................................................................... 43 

Enabling legislation functions and objectives ........................................................................................................... 45 

Regulatory requirements ........................................................................................................................................... 46 

Notification of significant events .......................................................................................................................... 46 

Significant changes in affairs and activities .......................................................................................................... 46 

Developments since the end of the financial year ............................................................................................... 46 

Judicial decisions and reviews by outside bodies ................................................................................................ 46 

Ministerial directions ............................................................................................................................................. 46 

Indemnities and insurance premiums for officers ................................................................................................. 46 

Disability access statement ................................................................................................................................... 46 

Workplace health and safety ................................................................................................................................ 47 

Ecologically sustainable development and environmental performance ............................................................. 47 

Equal opportunity ................................................................................................................................................. 47 

HWA Board ............................................................................................................................................................... 48 

Director attendance at HWA Board meetings 2011–12 ....................................................................................... 55 

Board committees ..................................................................................................................................................... 56 

Audit and Risk Management Committee ............................................................................................................. 56 

Finance Committee .............................................................................................................................................. 56 

Remuneration Committee .................................................................................................................................... 56 

Standing Advisory Committees ............................................................................................................................ 56 

Jurisdictional Policy Committee ........................................................................................................................... 57 

Executive ................................................................................................................................................................... 58 

Organisational structure ............................................................................................................................................ 58 

Human resources ....................................................................................................................................................... 59 

Progress towards enterprise agreement .............................................................................................................. 59 

Policies and procedures ........................................................................................................................................ 59 

Graduate Program ................................................................................................................................................ 60 

Human resource numbers as at 30 June 2012 ..................................................................................................... 60 

Management ............................................................................................................................................................. 61 

Risk management ................................................................................................................................................. 61 

Fraud ..................................................................................................................................................................... 61 

Internal audit ......................................................................................................................................................... 61 

Compliance framework ......................................................................................................................................... 61 

Grants Administration Unit ................................................................................................................................... 62 

Project Management Office ................................................................................................................................. 62 

Location of major activities and facilities .............................................................................................................. 62 

PUBLICATIONS ......................................................................................................................................................... 63 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ........................................................................................................................................ 65 

APPENDIX A ........................................................................................................................................................... 108 

Key domains - National Health Workforce Innovation and Reform Strategic Framework for Action 2011-2015 ..108 

GLOSSARY .............................................................................................................................................................. 109 

INDEXES .................................................................................................................................................................. 112 

Index of annual report requirements ...................................................................................................................... 112 

Index ........................................................................................................................................................................ 112 

ANNUAL REPORT 2011-2012 Health Workforce Australia 

5

FOREWORD FROM 

THE CHAIR 


As Health Workforce Australia (HWA) enters 

its third year, I am pleased to report that 

we are delivering on the essential evidence 

base, the new workforce models, the funding 

programs, and are building the case for 

coordinated national reform of our health 

workforce. 

I am confident that we have set a solid path 

for our future contribution to workforce 

reform and innovation. 

The concerns of Australia’s governments 

about our national health workforce 

challenges were captured in the 2008 

National Partnership Agreement on Hospital 

and Health Workforce Reform. 

A critical component of the work the Council 

of Australian Governments charged us 

to undertake was to reduce reliance on 

anecdotal evidence and instead build an 

accurate, sound and nationally-accepted 

evidence base on Australia’s health workforce 

– both now and in the future. 

This evidence is vital if the government, 

private and non-government sectors are to 

make informed decisions about the training, 

recruitment, deployment and retention of 

health professionals. 

Our landmark study Health Workforce 2025 

on doctors, nurses and midwives is the first 

independent, long-term, statistically rigorous, 

national analysis of supply and demand for 

6 


these health professions, projected to 2025. 

Drawing on national datasets, the study 

models the effects of various policy options 

on the future shape of the workforce. 

Its key findings are sobering. For example, 

the short-term supply and demand balance 

of doctors is more stable than in recent years, 

but there is a maldistribution across Australia. 

We also learned that without reform of the 

national training system for doctors there will 

be insufficient specialist training places for 

medical graduates by 2016. In the case of 

nurses, short-term supply is relatively stable, 

but by 2025 there could be a significant 

shortfall of almost 110,000 nurses if policy 

settings remain unchanged. Areas such as 

mental health and aged care are at particular 

risk of shortages. In rural and remote areas 

the shortages of skilled professionals is 

magnified, particularly in the case of doctors. 

In terms of overall health workforce supply, 

Australia is one of the least self-sufficient 

OECD nations. In short, we import more 

doctors each year than we graduate. 

The study confirms the original concerns that 

Australia’s current health workforce structure 

and training cannot adequately meet the 

future challenges our health system faces from 

an ageing population, an increase in chronic 

disease and greater consumer expectations. 

It is clear that we cannot operate under a 

business-as-usual mindset. We need to design 

and implement reforms for the long term, 

using a range of policy levers and with a 

coordinated, national focus. The status quo is 

not a viable option. 

In June 2012, I was pleased to be part of 

our national workshop involving 90 senior 

health workforce decision-makers. We came 

together to pursue the case for change. I was 

gratified to see how participants responded 

by thinking beyond their immediate sectoral 

interests to embrace collaborative change. 

This said, reform is only in its earliest stages 

and therefore, so is our work. We will 

continue to work with focus, enthusiasm and 

professionalism to meet the objectives that 

have been set by Australia’s governments. 

In 2012-13 HWA will continue this work with 

the same degree of commitment and we are 

ready to take up any new challenges that are 

sent our way. 

I would like to thank the Minister for Health, 

the Hon Tanya Plibersek, and her predecessor, 

the Hon Nicola Roxon, for their support and 

commitment to health workforce reform. Our 

Board, CEO and staff have worked hard to 

achieve the successes we are able to report. 

I look forward to our future work, which 

is directed solely at building a sustainable 

workforce that meets the needs of all 

Australians. 


Chairman 


7

CHIEF EXECUTIVE 

OFFICER’S REPORT 

Mark Cormack 

It pleases me to report that Health Workforce 

Australia (HWA) is now past its early 

establishment phase and in 2011-12 we are 

now seeing significant outcomes of our health 

workforce reform initiatives. 

In the initial stage of operation we were laying 

the groundwork and establishing a range of 

projects to build a better health workforce to 

meet the healthcare needs of all Australians. 

Since our establishment in January 2010, with 

just two staff, we now have a staff of over 125. 

Our head office in Adelaide has proven to 

be the productive working environment we 

planned. Our staff across the country are very 

much part of a modern work team, supported 

by advanced IT and communications systems, 

allowing us to draw on the best expertise 

regardless of where it is in the nation. 

Our original strategic remit comes from the 

2008 National Partnership Agreement on 

Hospital and Health Workforce Reform (NPA). 

When HWA was formed under the Health 

Workforce Australia Act 2009, we launched 

immediately into the workforce reform projects 

that both the NPA and the Act required of 

us. We did this successfully while building the 

organisation. 

This past year we have shifted from a projectoriented 

organisation to one that is more 

strategic. During the year, as important 

projects came to fruition, we have been 

consolidating what we have learned in the 

form of significant studies and reports. The 

body of evidence we are building provides a 

policy and evidence base for our programs 

that target key areas for reform. 

8 


Our goal is to build a sustainable health 

workforce for Australia. To achieve this, we 

are focusing on how we can build capacity, 

boost productivity, and improve distribution 

of the health workforce. Our approach is to 

build the evidence about the current and 

projected workforce, to provide leadership 

across the system and to work in collaboration 

with government, and non-government health 

and higher education sectors to influence and 

deliver programs which achieve our goal. 

This approach helps us integrate the various 

strands of our current work and informs the 

allocation of effort. We have established 

a grants administration unit and a project 

management office to facilitate this. 

On a financial note, our funding has been fully 

allocated for health workforce reform projects 

in a range of settings. This commitment 

overcomes the smaller commitment of funds 

in the previous year. In 2010-11, we expensed 

$75 million, and in 2011-12 this figure was 

$350 million. 

I would like to outline a few examples that 

demonstrate the breadth of our activities 

throughout the year. 

We started the year with Health Ministers 

endorsing the National Health Workforce 

Innovation and Reform Strategic Framework 

for Action 2011-15, which is the overarching 

national platform that will guide future health 

workforce reform and innovation activity in 

Australia. It sets broad parameters for the 

health and higher education system as a whole 

and recognises there are many contributors 

who will be part of the response to our future 

health workforce priorities. 

Despite some initial delays, our Clinical 

Training Funding program has resulted in 

progressive commissioning of a range of 

capital and establishment projects to support 

growth in clinical training across Australia. 

Our support for clinical training resulted in an 

increase of clinical placement days across the 

nation of more than 335,000, or 19 per cent, in 

its first full year. These placements span rural, 

remote and metropolitan Australia, covering 

some 22 professions. 

Our work in enhancing access to simulated 

learning environments is modernising clinical 

training. We have funded $48 million in capital 

and establishment grants in all States and 

Territories, and have increased access to this 

training in rural and remote areas. Pleasingly, 

the simulated learning program has resulted 

in a 30 per cent increase in the number of 

education hours spent in simulated learning in 

funded centres and services. 

Throughout the year we published a range 

of studies and reports about Aboriginal 

and Torres Strait Islander health workers, 

competency-based training, physician 

assistants and oral health practitioners. Within 

their own areas, each of these reports has 

made an important contribution to our national 

workforce knowledge and catalysed future 

reform effort. 

Most significantly, we produced the first in 

our Health Workforce 2025 (HW2025) series 

of reports; Health Workforce 2025 – Doctors, 

Nurses and Midwives. This will inform our 

future programs and guide policy makers as 

we design and implement the health workforce 

reforms now that Australia will need in the 

future. 

We have delivered the first part of a 

comprehensive program of reforms looking at 

extending the role of paramedics, expanding 

the range of health professionals that can 

prescribe, training nurses to deliver endoscopy 

services and utilising physiotherapists and 

nurses more fully in emergency departments. 

This will assist all health professions, boosting 

retention and productivity. 


9

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S REPORTMark Cormack 

During the year I was fortunate to work with 

and support the first interim Council of Future 

Health Leaders. This group of dynamic students 

and early career professionals come from 

a range of health disciplines and they have 

inspired me and assured me that the future of 

the health system is indeed in good hands. 

The Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander 

Health Worker Project has been a significant 

and timely achievement given the introduction 

of national registration for Aboriginal and 

Torres Strait Islander health practitioners on 

1 July 2012. We had a strong level of 

stakeholder engagement across this 

project and look forward to progressing 

the five key areas of policy that the project 

recommended during 2012-13. The key 

task is to enable as many Aboriginal and 

Torres Strait Islander health workers to be 

upskilled to the new registration standard 

as possible. The challenge will be for health 

service employers to respond to this new and 

emerging health workforce by creating the 

employment opportunities needed for them 

to provide expanded access to innovative, 

quality and culturally competent care for their 

communities. 

Our International Health Professionals work 

group is now up and running and they have 

made significant inroads to smoothing the 

pathways to practice in Australia, deploying 

nurses and allied health professionals into rural 

areas and developing an international brand - 

Health Careers Australia - to attract and market 

Australia to health professionals overseas. 

You can see it’s been a very busy year for 

HWA and the results of much of our work are 

documented in this report or on our website, 

which is fast becoming a comprehensive 

source of information and reports on health 

workforce reform. 

Looking to next year, I am pleased to 

advise our 2012-13 Work Plan reshapes our 

deliverables so they align with the policy 

outcomes and challenges outlined in HW 2025, 

but still recognises ongoing projects from 

previous years. A range of exciting programs is 

foreshadowed and we look forward to working 

with our stakeholders to deliver them. 

I recognise that much of our work depends 

on the partnerships and relationships we 

form with a wide range of employers, health 

agencies, jurisdictions, education and training 

providers, professions, consumers and other 

stakeholders. The work of our committees 

and partners in guiding our reform efforts 

is invaluable, and I thank them for their 

contribution of time and expertise. 

I would like to thank the Chairman for his 

leadership and the Board for its ongoing 

guidance, oversight, and for the expertise it 

brings to workforce reform. I would also like to 

thank the HWA staff for their commitment and 

enthusiasm in developing and implementing 

innovation and reform within Australia’s health 

workforce. 

We are now turning our attention to future 

directions as the NPA draws to a close. We 

are working hard to forge a pathway for future 

health workforce reform beyond the goals set 

within the NPA. 

Mark Cormack 

Chief Executive Officer 

Health Workforce Australia 

10 


ABOUT HEALTH 

WORKFORCE 

AUSTRALIA 


11

ABOUT HEALTH WORKFORCE AUSTRALIA 

GOAL 

Health Workforce Australia aims to build a 

sustainable health workforce for Australia. 

OBJECTIVES 

Health Workforce Australia (HWA) delivers 

a national, coordinated approach to health 

workforce reform in six critical areas: 

 

purpose workforce, more quickly and 

efficiently. 

 

utility of the workforce. 

 

into the places and specialties that are 

needed. 

 

workforce reform and innovation through 

planning, research and evaluation. 

 

influence national health workforce policy 

and program decisions. 

 

stakeholders to deliver targeted programs 

to drive reform. 

HWA’s 2011-12 work plan sought reform in 

these areas through high-quality policy advice 

and programs in four work streams: workforce 

information, analysis and planning; clinical 

training reform; innovation and reform of 

the health workforce; and recruitment and 

retention of international health professionals. 

ROLE AND CONTEXT 

The demand for healthcare is growing, 

arising from an ageing population, growth 

in chronic disease and increased community 

expectation. 

At the same time, there are new challenges 

flowing from rapidly changing technology, 

approaches to training and education, 

maldistribution of health workforces across 

metropolitan, rural and remote areas, 

looming shortages in some professions and 

specialities, inefficient work practices and 

constricted professional roles. 

HWA was established by the Council of 

Australian Governments (COAG) as a national 

health workforce agency through the 2008 


and Health Workforce Reform. It commenced 

operations in January 2010 following the 

enactment of the Health Workforce Australia 

Act 2009. 

HWA is a Commonwealth statutory authority 

and reports to the Standing Council on Health 

(SCoH), which comprises the nine Health 

Ministers of the Commonwealth, state and 

territory governments. It works closely with 

the Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory 

Council (AHMAC), comprising the chief 

executives of the Commonwealth, state and 

territory health departments. 

In establishing HWA, COAG recognised that 

a national coordinated approach was needed 

to create a health workforce that was able to 

meet the current and future healthcare needs 

of all Australians. COAG recognised that 

without strategic and coordinated reform, the 

demand could not be met and the challenges 

could not be overcome. It recognised that 

12 


ABOUT HEALTH WORKFORCE AUSTRALIA 

reform must be national and large-scale and 

that it must cut across jurisdictional, sectoral 

and professional boundaries. 

Leading implementation of this reform effort 

is the task of HWA and we work in partnership 

with the government, higher education and 

training sector, health sector, employers, 

professions and regulatory bodies. 

HWA delivers a work program that rests 

upon national policy foundations supported 

by Australia’s governments, including the 

2008 National Partnership Agreement on 

Hospital and Health Workforce Reform and 

the National Health Workforce Innovation and 

Reform Strategic Framework for Action 

2011-2015. 

VALUES 

As an organisation, HWA is committed to 

values that promote professionalism and 

collaboration, in both its internal and external 

activities. These values include: 

Responsiveness - provision of frank, evidencebased 

advice and high quality programs in a 

timely manner 

Impartiality - performance of functions in 

an objective manner and making decisions 

and providing advice based on evidence and 

without bias 

Leadership - encouragement and support 

for the adoption of best practices, and 

continuous improvement of effectiveness and 

efficiency 

Accountability - taking responsibility 

for decisions and actions, submitting to 

appropriate scrutiny and maximising the 

efficient use of HWA’s resources 

Respect - treatment of all people with 

courtesy and consideration and performance 

of all functions in a manner that is free from 

discrimination and harassment 

Integrity - performance of functions in an 

honest, open and transparent manner. 


13

HIGHLIGHTS 

14 


HIGHLIGHTS 

HWA is on track to achieve its key objectives on health workforce reform. 

The following achievements are highlights of 2011-12: 

National Health Workforce Innovation and Reform Strategic Framework for Action 2011- 

2015 was approved by Health Ministers in August 2011 and provides an overarching, 

national platform to guide health workforce reform. HWA aligns all its initiatives with the 

domains of action in the framework; 

 

to an increase of over 335,000 clinical training placement days. This includes an increase 

of 21,000 in aged-care and over 4,500 in rural and remote settings. This achievement is a 

growth of 19.1 percent in clinical training placement days over the 2010 baseline for funded 

organisations; 

 

workforces was released in April 2012; 

 

workers - will inform the development of policies and strategies to strengthen and sustain 

the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker workforce. Through this work these 

health workers can deliver care in response to the known burden and distribution of disease 

in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population; 

 

clinical training and better manage the demand and supply of clinical training places. HWA 

hosted a national forum of network representatives in May 2012; 

 

professionals for rural and remote areas. Forty four nursing and allied health professionals 

have commenced work in rural and remote primary healthcare services since the project 

commenced in January 2012, with an anticipated total of 380 to be delivered by June 2013. 

Additionally, 1024 nursing and allied health professionals are receiving case management 

support and two thirds of these are international health professionals; 

 

were completed in 2011-12. This brings to 20 the number of professions covered by 

curricula reports, with more on the way; 

 

remote Australia commenced in May 2012. The campaign ‘Take a Step up Down Under’ was 

rolled out at three overseas career expos and attracted 1500 candidates; 

 

Prescribing Pathway project. The consultation revealed broad support for a nationally 

consistent approach to safe and competent prescribing, with consideration to standards of 

education, registration and accreditation processes; 


15

HIGHLIGHTS 

 

is better able to care for our community. Twenty nine project sites were selected to 

participate in the Expanding Workforce Scope program across 27 organisations, 

focusing on physiotherapists in emergency departments; advanced practice in endoscopy 

nursing; nurses in emergency departments; and extending the role of paramedics; 

 

at 19 sites. The CfOP report describes how a better mix of skills in roles would release 

clinicians to work to the top of their licence; 

 

the existing medical, nursing and allied health workforces and their characteristics. Each 

report within the series is designed to describe the health profession in focus, including 

examining student pathways, work settings, work patterns and immigration. The first in the 

series; Doctors in focus has been released; 

 

professionals to provide their opinions and advice to HWA and its stakeholders. Membership 

grew over the course of the year to 250; 

 

on health workforce reform with leading international and Australian speakers. The first topic 

was about an ethical approach to health workforce sustainability and the second was about 

building a viable Australian health workforce for our future. Combined, the two events 

attracted over 700 attendees; 

 

in 2012; 

 

16 


BUILDING 

WORKFORCE 

CAPACITY 

HWA is building health workforce 

capacity by creating a more efficient 

clinical training system and migration 

pathway, and a nationally coordinated 

approach to retention. 


17

BUILDING WORKFORCE CAPACITYk Cormack 

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER 

HEALTH WORKERS 

In 2011-12 HWA finalised a major project on 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health 

workers. The aim was to develop policies 

and strategies to strengthen and sustain the 


workforce to deliver care to the Aboriginal 

and Torres Strait Islander population. 

The final report was considered by the 

Standing Council on Health in April 2012. 

HWA initiated five projects to support the 

recommendations from the final report, 

including: 

 

Assessment (TAE 40110) course, which aims 

to train up to 100 Aboriginal and Torres 

Strait Islander health workers to build 

capacity within the health sector and 

support the up-skilling of this workforce to 

meet registration requirements; 

 

and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health 

Care qualification training providers, and 

assessing the relative safety risk associated 

with Certificate IV in the community care 

qualification to practise in a drug and 

alcohol or mental health service delivery role; 

 

Strait Islander Primary Health Care (HLT07) 

Training Package; 

 

Territory Aboriginal and Torres Strait 

Islander Clinical Log Book - a competencybased 

tool to assist training in clinical 

procedures for the Certificate IV in 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary 

Health Care qualification; 

 

Islander health worker multimedia resource 

package to promote awareness and respect 

for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 

health worker roles. It will also contribute to 

improving inter-professional relationships. 

18 


CLINICAL TRAINING REFORM 

BUILDING WORKFORCE CAPACITY 

The nation faces workforce shortages in 

certain health professions and has a clinical 

training system not yet geared to meet the 

growing demand. HWA is leading national 

coordination and reform in clinical training. 

CLINICAL SUPERVISION SUPPORT 

The Clinical Supervision Support Program 

(CSSP) aims to build the capacity of clinical 

supervision across the higher education 

and training sectors in medicine, nursing, 

midwifery, dental and allied health professions. 

It supports the expansion of capacity and 

competence in clinical supervision of vocational 

trainees, professional entry and postgraduate 

students, and strengthens existing capacity in 

clinical supervision. 

The CSSP also supports the delivery of 

other clinical training reforms, such as the 

HWA Clinical Training Funding Program, by 

increasing the number of clinical supervisors 

and the quality of the clinical placement 

experience. Twenty one CSSP funding 

agreements were executed in the 2011-12 

year. 

Each state and territory has been funded to 

build clinical supervision capacity and support 

innovation at a local level by undertaking 

detailed mapping of existing practice to 

identify gaps and design programs to fill them. 

Five national projects have been established 

and are developing: 

 

framework that acts as a benchmark 

for the training and education of clinical 

supervisors 

 

 

placement agreements 

 

and assistance for enhancing the clinical 

placement experience 

 

provide support to individuals for 

research projects that contribute to 

increasing capacity and improving the 

quality of clinical supervision. 

Work is also progressing to: develop and/or 

enhance clinical assessment tools for medicine, 

nursing and allied health professions; develop 

new models of supervision; and provide a 

foundation program of clinical supervision 

training for allied health professionals who 

currently have no access to such training. 

CLINICAL TRAINING FUNDING 

Australia faces a future shortage of health 

professionals within some professions. It also 

faces training bottlenecks, with the number 

of students in some disciplines exceeding the 

number of clinical training places available. 

Launched in 2010, with funding available for 

the 2011-2013 period, the Clinical Training 

Funding Program is designed to expand 

the clinical training capacity of the health 

workforce in Australia. The program aims to 

support additional clinical training places for 

up to 8,400 professional entry students across 

25 health professions to address workforce 

shortages. 

Funding will increase the number of clinical 

placements and is provided by HWA in 

the form of recurrent subsidies and capital 

and establishment grants. Capital and 


19


establishment grants support construction 

of new clinical training facilities, student 

accommodation for rural students, clinical 

placements in rural and remote areas, and the 

purchase of clinical training equipment. 

The program was allocated $425 million by 

the Australian Government through the 2008 


and Health Workforce Reform. This funding 

has been fully committed to 86 lead agencies 

through funding rounds offered by HWA in 

2010 -11 and 2011-12. 

Growth of 19.1 percent in clinical training 

placement days over the 2010 baseline 

was recorded in the 2011 end-of-calendaryear 

reports by the funding recipients. This 

amounts to a growth of over 335,000 in 

clinical training placement days, including a 

growth of 21,000 clinical training days in aged 

care settings and over 4,500 additional clinical 

training days in rural and remote settings. 

INTEGRATED REGIONAL CLINICAL 

TRAINING NETWORKS 

Measuring the demand and supply of clinical 

training places is critical, as is developing 

processes and structures that will assist to 

manage the growth, diversity and quality of 

clinical placements across the professions and 

settings. Regional clinical training networks 

have been set up to do this and expand the 

capacity of clinical training at jurisdictional 

and regional levels. 

HWA has provided $32 million to support 

the establishment of Integrated Regional 

Clinical Training Networks (IRCTNs) across 

Australia. The networks will better coordinate 

and generate growth in clinical training and 

placements across government and nongovernment 

health providers, clinical training 

providers and higher education facilities. 

Thirty IRCTNs have been established 

nationally, with representatives including 

clinical training providers from across the 

public and private sectors, higher education 

providers, Medicare Locals and local health 

networks. The inaugural meeting of network 

chairs and senior workforce officials was 

held in March 2012. Three IRCTNs have now 

implemented their own website with details of 

their particular network, activity and contact 

details, with three more in the final stages of 

development. 

The networks are identifying local supply 

and demand issues and are supporting the 

implementation of projects under HWA’s 

Simulated Learning Environments program 

and the Clinical Supervision Support Program. 

In May 2012, HWA hosted a national forum of 

representatives from the networks to discuss 

issues in establishing the IRCTNs, implications 

for the supply and demand of clinical training 

and to identify measures that may be suitable 

at a national level. 

SIMULATED LEARNING 

ENVIRONMENTS 

Simulated learning can provide a realistic 

and flexible alternative to traditional clinical 

training and reduce the strain on traditional 

clinical training providers. The Simulated 

Learning Environments (SLE) program is 

designed to increase the capacity of the 

health system by employing simulated 

learning methods in clinical training. 

Funding of $75.92 million has been allocated 

for capital purchases and recurrent investment 

in the public, education and non-government 

20 



sectors to expand simulated learning. The 

balance of SLE funding is being invested 

in projects to develop evidence on the 

effectiveness of simulation training modalities 

and to enable broader adoption of simulation. 

The capital and recurrent funding allocations 

are fully committed across all states and 

territories and initial progress reports to 

HWA show a 30 percent growth in simulation 

education hours delivered in 2012 compared 

to 2011. In addition, 20 capital and recurrent 

funding agreements for the education and 

non-government sectors in New South 

Wales, Queensland and South Australia were 

finalised. 

HWA funding of $3.95 million for expanded 

simulation capacity was finalised with 

university departments of rural health to 

increase access to simulated learning in rural 

and remote areas. 

Funding of $8.39 million to support projects 

aimed at enabling the adoption of simulation 

has commenced. Work includes a train-thetrainer 

program for simulation educators and 

technicians/coordinators across all states 

and territories which delivered training to 

approximately 230 recipients. Over time, this 

will expand to up to 6,000 educators and 

technicians. 

A national network of simulation providers 

was established to promote inter-professional 

collaboration and resource sharing within 

Australia’s health workforce, with over 140 

simulation programs currently registered. 

Six SLE curriculum reports addressing the 

use of simulated learning by various health 

professions were completed and released 

during 2011-12. This brings to twenty the 

number of professions covered by curriculum 

reports. Reports for another two professions 

are underway, to be completed in 2012-13. 

Simulation in clinical training was embedded 

in paramedicine and nursing professional 

entry curricula to determine the most efficient 

training intensity and cost effectiveness of 

simulation to achieve the required learning 

outcome. 

NURSING AND MIDWIFERY 

GRADUATE JOBS INFORMATION 

PORTAL 

With growing numbers of nursing and 

midwifery graduates, gaining an entry level 

job in health is becoming more competitive. In 

2011, there were more new graduate nurses 

and midwives than suitable graduate positions 

available in public hospitals. Retaining the skills 

of these Australian-trained graduates in the 

wider health system is vital to meet projected 

nursing workforce shortages in the medium 

and longer term. Many less visible employment 

opportunities exist across the wider health 

services, including in private, aged care and 

community sectors. 

To respond to this issue, HWA established an 

internet-based information portal exclusively 

for new graduates to promote vacancies 

for Australian-trained graduate nurses and 

midwives. 

Following a positive post-implementation 

review, HWA will continue the information 

portal to assist the 2012 graduates find their 

first position in the health workforce. There 

are 1244 graduates registered. The portal is at 

www.nmgj.org.au 


21


INTERNATIONAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS 

Australia currently relies on the migration 

of health professionals from other countries 

to meet the demand for health services. 

Ensuring international health professionals 

can settle and practice in Australia efficiently 

and effectively is a key priority for HWA. 

HWA assists in recruiting and retaining 

international health professionals through 

attraction and marketing, streamlining the 

requirements for professionals to practice, 

helping integrate professionals into the 

Australian work culture, targeting recruitment 

to rural and remote areas where the need is 

greatest, and contributing to national policy 

on international recruitment. 

ATTRACTION AND MARKETING 

HWA has developed an international 

marketing campaign to attract nursing 

and allied health staff to rural and remote 

Australia. The campaign is called ‘Take a 

Step up Down Under’ and was showcased 

at United Kingdom and Republic of 

Ireland recruitment expos in May 2012 in 

conjunction with rural workforce agencies 

from each Australian state and territory. It 

was supported by a website, Health Careers 

Australia, which had over 15,000 visits. Fifteen 

hundred candidates attended three career 

expos and it is anticipated this will translate 

into additional health professionals referred 

to HWA’s Rural Health Professionals Program. 

The campaign is being expanded with rural 

workforce agencies and state and territory 

employers to recruit international health 

professionals to primary and acute health 

settings in rural and remote areas. 

NATIONAL POLICY 

The national policy work stream aims to 

improve the efficiency and effectiveness of 

international health professionals’ migration 

to the Australian health workforce. 

HWA is scoping the Australian health 

sector’s international recruitment activity to 

better understand the level of international 

recruitment and attraction activity by state 

and territory government-funded employers 

and publicly-funded non-government 

organisations. 

An analysis of the pathways international 

medical graduates take in general will 

identify and analyse international medical 

graduates’ key milestones, from the point 

of contact with recruitment case managers 

within the Australian health system to their 

registration and commencement in practice. 

This project will identify and analyse the 

barriers and support needs of these doctors. 

This work informs HWA initiatives for 

improving pathways for international health 

professionals to practice in Australia. 

22 



PATHWAYS INTO PRACTICE 

The Pathways into Practice program is assisting 

more international health professionals achieve 

registration. 

With support from HWA, the Australian 

Medical Council (AMC) is establishing a 

national clinical examination centre to increase 

access to AMC assessments and examinations. 

The centre will open in April 2013 and has 

potential for other health professions. 

HWA has funded the General Practice 

Education and Training’s Overseas Trained 

Doctor Network to provide supervision to 

support international medical graduates (IMGs) 

in attaining general medical or vocational 

registration in Australia. It is anticipated that 

775 places will be offered to IMGs in 2012-13. 

HWA has funded the expansion and 

development of workplace-based assessment 

programs available to IMGs to provide 

orientation, inter-professional teamwork, 

acclimatisation to Australian medical practice, 

and a mix of formative and summative 

assessments of candidates. The program will 

grow from 72 places in 2011-12 to 180 in 



23

BOOSTING 

WORKFORCE 

PRODUCTIVITY 

HWA is boosting workforce productivity and flexibility by 

maximising the potential of health professionals, building 

a skilled assistant and support workforce, and fostering 

nationally scalable health workforce innovations. 

24 


AGED CARE WORKFORCE REFORM 

BOOSTING WORKFORCE PRODUCTIVITY 

Australia’s ageing population is rapidly 

increasing the demand for aged care services 

so HWA has been looking at ways Australia 

can use its current workforce to improve care 

for older people and meet national workforce 

challenges. 

CARING FOR OLDER PEOPLE 

Completed in 2011-12, the Caring for Older 

People (CfOP) program tested redesigned 

aged care workforce roles at 19 sites. The 

CfOP report describes how a better mix of 

skills in roles would release clinicians to work 

to the top of their licence, thus boosting 

productivity. 

AGED CARE WORKFORCE REFORM 

The Aged Care Workforce Reform program 

is informed by the CfOP report and is 

implementing recommended workforce 

models more widely. This program will work 

with 26 sites across Australia to implement 

models of workforce redesign across four 

work streams; 

 

community 

 

aged care 

 

community 

 

community. 

The program will provide support for 

employers and health workers to implement 

best practice workforce models as part of 

the national program. The evaluation of 

this program will inform national adoption 

and consider enablers and barriers such as 

regulation, legislation, policy, funding, training 

and industrial relations to guide national 

reform for the aged care workforce. 


25


HEALTH PROFESSIONALS PRESCRIBING PATHWAY 

In February 2012, HWA commenced the 

Health Professionals Prescribing Pathway 

(HPPP) project. The project aims to develop a 

nationally consistent approach to prescribing 

by health professionals, other than medical 

practitioners, that supports safe practice, 

quality use of medicines and effectiveness of 

healthcare services. 

Primary considerations in the development 

of a prescribing pathway are safe prescribing 

practices, consistent education and training 

of health professionals, robust regulation and 

accreditation processes to recognise and 

endorse health professionals to prescribe, 

and appropriate models of prescribing 

that facilitate a skilled health workforce to 

meet the healthcare needs of the Australian 

community. 

In April 2012, HWA released a consultation 

paper on a national health professionals 

prescribing pathway and 96 submissions 

were received. Interviews were conducted 

with key project stakeholders and a project 

advisory group was established. A survey 

of consumers’ views and attitudes to the 

prescribing of medicines was completed. 

The survey found that consumers have 

expectations of the competence of health 

professionals who prescribe medicines 

regardless of their professional background. 

It also found that 81 percent of people are 

very or somewhat supportive of more types of 

health professionals being able to prescribe 

medicines, providing appropriate safeguards 

and guidelines are in place. 

The next stage is to design a nationally 

consistent pathway to prescribing by health 

professionals other than medical practitioners. 

The pathway will be tested and finalised by 

mid 2013. 

26 



ORAL HEALTH SCOPE OF PRACTICE REVIEW 

HWA was asked to review the role and scope 

of practice of oral health practitioners and 

provide advice to the Health Workforce 

Principal Committee (HWPC). The review 

was requested to inform Health Ministers’ 

consideration of the Dental Board of Australia 

(DBA) Scope of Practice Registration 

Standard. 

Extensive consultation informed this work and 

included the community, dental professionals, 

peak bodies, government providers, 

regulatory bodies and dental education 

institutions participating in meetings, 

interviews and focus groups. 

An online survey based on narrative research 

generated 702 stories describing dental 

experiences and a survey of current dental 

education offerings was undertaken with 

education institutions. In addition, a national 

and international literature review was 

completed. The Scope of Practice Review: 

Oral Health Practitioners report has been 

released. 

The review found there are unintended 

and negative impacts of the DBA’s scope 

of practice standard that affect the ability 

of oral health practitioners to work within 

their current scope of practice. It also found 

oral health practitioners could make a 

greater contribution to the dental care of 

Australians, particularly under-served groups, 

by increasing the scope of practice with 

appropriate training. 

The report was considered by SCoH in 

April 2012 and referred to the DBA for 

consideration in its review of the standard. 

The report is now on the HWA website. 


27


PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS 

HWA was asked by the Australian Health 

Ministers’ Advisory Council (AHMAC) to 

provide advice on the potential role of 

physician assistants in the Australian context. 

Extensive research and consultation was 

undertaken to inform the preparation of this 

advice, comprising a structured literature 

review and key informant interviews with 

136 stakeholders from professional bodies, 

jurisdictions, industrial organisations, private 

sector, the Australian Defence Force, 

physician assistant educators, physician 

assistants and students. 

The report found physician assistants can 

make a significant contribution to addressing 

a number of key strategies in the National 

Health Workforce Innovation and Reform 

Strategic Framework for Action 2011-2015. 

The report considered issues including 

education, safety, quality and regulation. 

Physician assistants like other non-regulated 

health professions can and do operate in 

the Australian healthcare system under the 

appropriate arrangements for their profession. 

The employment and development of this 

workforce will be determined by the market 

and employers, and ultimately, this will be 

driven by the contribution physician assistants 

can make to the delivery of safe, quality 

health care and an efficient, sustainable 

workforce especially in rural and remote 

areas. 

HWA’s advice was provided to AHMAC in 

February 2012 in the form of a report titled; 

The Potential Role of Physician Assistants in 

the Australian Context which is available on 

HWA’s website. 

28 



WORKFORCE FLEXIBILITY: COMPETENCY 

The competency program will increase the 

productivity, capacity and capability of the 

Australian health workforce by establishing 

common health workforce competency 

resources and supporting implementation 

tools. Competency-based approaches can act 

as levers for change across health workforce 

design and development. Competency 

resources built around patient/client need 

can help maximise the contribution of health 

workforces and can inform education and 

training. 

In 2011-12 work began on the 

development of; 

 

resource 

 

 

framework 

 

framework. 

HWA published two reports describing 

evidence-based options for competencybased 

health-career frameworks in Australia 

and these form the basis for development of 

the National Common Health Competency 

Resource. The draft resource will be released 

for consultation in early 2013. 

HWA will develop national mental health 

competencies following the Mental Health 

Workforce Advisory Committee review of the 

National Mental Health Workforce Practice 

Standards. The medical graduate competency 

framework has been finalised. 

Competency-based approaches also support 

and promote workforce flexibility and interprofessional 

ways of working, which can assist 

the health system to respond in a more timely 

and integrated way to changing population 

health needs. 


29


WORKFORCE FLEXIBILITY: EXPANDING 

WORKFORCE SCOPE 

HWA launched the Expanding Workforce 

Scope program to broaden the role of a range 

of health professionals to increase workforce 

productivity, recruitment and retention. It 

will identify workforce changes that have 

potential for national scalability and provide 

information on funding, regulatory and policy 

changes required for widespread, national 

implementation. 

This program will enable professionals to 

work to an expanded scope of practice and 

improve the distribution of the workforce 

by providing health professionals with new 

opportunities to provide a wider range of 

health services to the community. 

The projects examine; 

 

and physiotherapy roles in emergency 

departments, which have an increasing 

number of patient presentations, and to 

assist with recruitment and retention of 

staff; 

 

endoscopy services to increase capacity 

and productivity in gastrointestinal 

endoscopy, for which there is an increased 

demand; 

 

an extended care paramedic model 

at a number of sites across Australia to 

provide care to patients in their usual place 

of residence; thereby reducing emergency 

department presentations and inter-facility 

transfers. 

There are 29 project sites across 27 

organisations examining physiotherapists in 

emergency departments (eight project sites); 

advanced practice in endoscopy nursing 

(eight project sites); nurses in emergency 

departments (eight project sites); and 

extending the role of paramedics (five project 

sites). 

Successful project sites were selected in May 

2012 and the projects have commenced. 

Implementation begins in July 2012 and 

will run until 2014 with a national whole of 

program evaluation informing evidence and 

future reform considerations. 

The results and learnings from this work will 

inform how expanding scope of practice for 

other health professions can be done safely 

and effectively at a national level. 

30 


IMPROVING 

WORKFORCE 

DISTRIBUTION 

HWA is addressing the maldistribution of health 

professions across Australia with particular focus on 

rural and remote areas where communities often have 

limited access to health services. 


31

IMPROVING WORKFORCE DISTRIBUTION 

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS 

- DEPLOYMENT AND RETENTION 

HWA has developed and implemented the 

Rural Health Professionals Program to provide 

recruitment, orientation and retention services 

to nurses and allied health professionals in 

rural and remote Australia and in Aboriginal 

and Torres Strait Islander health services. 

HWA has provided funding to rural workforce 

agencies in each state and territory to recruit 

and retain this workforce. 

Forty four nursing and allied health 

professionals have commenced work in rural 

and remote primary healthcare services across 

Australia since the project commenced in 

January 2012. Additionally, 1024 nursing and 

allied health professionals are receiving case 

management support to commence work in 

rural and remote areas. Of this, two thirds are 

international health professionals. 

The program aims to deliver over 380 

additional nurses and allied health 

professionals to rural and remote Australia by 

June 2013. 

32 



NATIONAL CANCER WORKFORCE STRATEGY 

As Australia’s population ages, the incidence 

of cancer increases and the health workforce 

must respond to this need. In response to 

this, HWA is developing a National Cancer 

Workforce Strategy (NCWS) that offers a 

comprehensive course of action to address 

workforce and distribution issues for the 

cancer control sector and identifies key 

innovations and reforms with potential 

national application. 

The NCWS complements the findings of 

the HWA report; Health Workforce 2025 - 

Doctors, Nurses and Midwives, the National 

Health Workforce Innovation and Reform 

Strategic Framework for Action 2011-2015 

and the COAG Improving Cancer Care 

Initiative. Consultation has involved over 200 

cancer experts and stakeholders, involving 

150 external meetings. 

In 2011-12 HWA developed; 

 

across the cancer control continuum 

 

and international directions in cancer care 

and in cancer control workforce 

development 

 

workforce impact of current and emerging 

programs, examples of innovation and 

change already underway, and lessons 

learned 

 

examining successful workforce innovation 

and reform in Australia. 

Stakeholder consultation on the NCWS is 

nearing completion. The strategy will be 

considered by Health Ministers in 2012-13. 


33


NATIONAL RURAL AND REMOTE HEALTH 

WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND REFORM 

STRATEGY 

Australians living in rural and remote 

communities typically have less access to 

health professionals than those in cities. 

Access to doctors in remote areas, for 

example, is between 45 to 67 percent of 

the level of access enjoyed by those in 

metropolitan areas. It is expected that this 

maldistribution would continue in the absence 

of significant national effort. 

The national Rural and Remote Health 

Workforce Innovation and Reform (RRHWIR) 

Strategy and implementation plan are being 

developed to address this. They aim to 

promote better utilisation of the existing 

workforce; support optimal use of skills and 

workforce adaptability; and build workforce 

capacity for responding and adapting to 

changing demands in rural and remote 

communities. 

In 2011-12, a consultation process was 

conducted across 19 locations in rural, 

remote, regional and urban settings across 

Australia. Over 700 stakeholders attended 

and 86 written submissions were made. 

Further consultation with peak government 

agencies and professional registration boards 

was undertaken. 

HWA established and facilitated the national 

RRHWIR Strategy Expert Reference Group, 

with participation from key organisations in 

rural and remote health. 

Stakeholder consultation on the RRHWIR 

Strategy is nearing completion. The strategy 

will be considered by Health Ministers in 


34 


RURAL MEDICAL GENERALISTS 


The rural medical generalist (RMG) role 

provides a bridge between the traditional role 

of a general practitioner and the advanced 

skills of a consultant specialist – with a focus 

on rural and remote health needs. 

The primary objective of the Rural Medical 

Generalist Pathways Project is to address 

workforce shortages, increase access to 

specialist care and improve general healthcare 

access in rural and remote areas. 

The first phase of the project supports the 

implementation of a number of rural medical 

generalist programs across jurisdictions and 

settings. Seven implementation projects 

were supported in 2011-12. An evaluator 

has been appointed to evaluate the projects 

against stated objectives and to inform the 

development of a national framework for rural 

medical generalists in the second phase. 

The national framework is to be delivered 

in June 2013. The framework will establish 

a rural medical generalist pathway that 

builds on the distribution models within 

the jurisdictions, while still enabling local 

adaptation for each jurisdiction. The 

framework will include key recommendations 

about national training coordination, 

legislative and regulatory requirements, 

career pathways and national governance 

structure. 

The rural medical generalist workforce has 

the potential to provide more accessible 

healthcare in rural and remote communities, 

create a sustainable and nationally connected 

workforce, and deliver improvements in 

health outcomes for these areas. 


35

HOW 

WE WORK 

HWA will drive health workforce 

reform by building the evidence base, 

providing leadership and working in 

collaboration with stakeholders to 

deliver reform. 

36 


HOW WE WORK 

BUILDING THE EVIDENCE 

NATIONAL HEALTH WORKFORCE 

INNOVATION AND REFORM 

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR 

ACTION 2011-2015 

The National Health Workforce Innovation 

and Reform Strategic Framework for 

Action 2011-2015 was approved by Health 

Ministers in August 2011 and provides an 

overarching, national platform to guide health 

workforce reform. HWA aligns all programs 

and initiatives with the domains of action 

identified in the framework (refer Appendix A 

for a list of the domains). 

The work delivered under this framework 

contributes to addressing challenges in 

workforce productivity, retention and 

distribution. 

The first Framework Implementation Progress 

Report, which summarises the activity led 

by HWA under each of the five domains of 

the framework, will be provided to Health 

Ministers in November 2012. 

The Health Workforce Innovation in Australia 

– A National Inventory report has been 

compiled from workforce innovation and 

reform examples sourced from jurisdictions, 

and the non-government and private sectors. 

The inventory will be published on the HWA 

website to facilitate the dissemination of the 

examples and the sharing of knowledge from 

across the health and education sectors. 

In June 2012, HWA conducted a twoday 

workshop with key stakeholders from 

across the health and education sectors. 

The workshop was facilitated by the NHS 

Institute of Innovation and Improvement. 

The workshop introduced methodologies to 

manage large scale change. Stakeholders 

collaborated to develop strategies and 

activities that should be considered to ensure 

the framework is further implemented. 

HEALTH WORKFORCE 2025 

Health Workforce 2025 (HW2025) is 

Australia’s first major, long-term, national 

projection for doctor, nurse and midwife 

workforces. The program is a significant first 

step towards the continual improvement of 

health workforce planning in Australia, and 

the establishment of a common framework for 

nationwide discussions on future workforce 

policy and reform directions. 

Extensive stakeholder consultation was 

conducted in the development of HW2025 on 

the methodology, data and assumptions used 

in the model. This was to ensure the relevance 

of the workforce projections to the medical, 

nursing and midwifery workforces. 

The program included a workforce 

planning exercise conducted with medical 

practitioners, nurses and midwives. The 

training implications for these workforces 

were examined under a range of workforce 

planning scenarios, with a planning horizon 

to the year 2025. The program was initially 

known as the National Training Plan. The 

workforce planning scenarios revealed a 

range of potential health workforce outcomes 

arising from various policy scenarios, of which 

training is only one – and so the program was 

renamed Health Workforce 2025. 

HW2025 was conducted in two phases. The 

first phase developed projections of the 

doctor, nursing and midwifery workforces 

for a range of alternative future scenarios 

that reflected major issues raised during 

consultation, and reflected potential policy 

environments that would influence the future 


37

HOW WE WORK 

health workforce. These scenarios included; 

 

modelling reducing overseas migration) 

 

period 

 

 

In the second phase of HW2025, a training 

pipeline analysis determined the numbers 

of student, graduate and trainee doctors 

required to achieve a workforce in balance at 

the end of the planning period. 

Health Workforce 2025 - Doctors, Nurses and 

Midwives, Volumes 1 and 2 was released in 

April 2012. 

HW2025 projections will be updated 

annually as new data becomes available and 

the methodology and assumptions will be 

periodically reviewed with the assistance 

of clinical experts to ensure the projections 

remain realistic and relevant. 

Consultation is underway on the third volume 

covering medical specialties which will be 

provided to Health Ministers in 2012-13. 

The scope of HW2025 is being expanded 

beyond doctors, nurses and midwives, to 

include the following allied health professions 

selected for workforce studies in 2012 (with 

other professions being examined in future 

years); 

 

 

and oral health therapists 

 

 

 

 

 

These professions will be examined differently 

to doctors, nurses and midwives due to data 

limitations. The first step is an examination 

of workforce supply and data sources. 

Preliminary research has commenced on the 

ambulance officer and paramedic, and oral 

health workforce studies. 

AUSTRALIA’S HEALTH WORKFORCE 

SERIES 

Australia’s Health Workforce Series was 

created to increase understanding about the 

existing medical, nursing and allied health 

workforces and their characteristics. Each 

report within the series describes the health 

profession in focus, including examining 

student pathways, work settings, work 

patterns and immigration. 

The first report in the series, Doctors in Focus 

has been released. Nurses in Focus and 

Clinical Placements in Focus are scheduled for 

publication in 2012-13. 

NATIONAL STATISTICAL RESOURCE 

The National Statistical Resource will 

enable consistency in planning along 

nationally agreed lines to assist all levels of 

government and other organisations in health 

workforce planning. The National Statistical 

Resource has two major components under 

development: National Health Workforce 

Data and the National Health Workforce 

Planning Tool. 

National Health Workforce Data will be a 

database that contains a range of national 

data relevant to workforce planning, including 

38 


HOW WE WORK 

national practitioner registration data and 

workforce survey data from the Australian 

Health Practitioner Regulation Agency 

(AHPRA). 

The National Statistical Resource will also 

collect data on additional professions over 

time. HWA will work with other professions 

not regulated by AHPRA to collect 

and incorporate data into the National 

Statistical Resource in order to build a more 

comprehensive picture of Australia’s health 

workforce. 

A range of data has been received and 

processed including de-identified national 

registration and workforce survey data from 

AHPRA. 

To prepare for collecting data on additional 

professions, existing data sources have been 

identified, a National Minimum Dataset 

specification has been developed, and 

assistance has been provided to professions 

for developing data collection instruments. 

Data has also been collated from other 

sources including the Australian Institute 

of Health and Welfare, the Department of 

Immigration and Citizenship, the Department 

of Education, Employment and Workplace 

Relations, and the Medical Deans Australia 

and New Zealand. 

The National Health Workforce Planning Tool 

was utilised as part of HW2025 and will be 

further developed for inclusion in the National 

Statistical Resource. 

SPECIALIST WORKFORCE STUDIES 

This program comprises small scale studies on 

selected specialist workforces, designed to 

highlight particular issues or planning needs. 

Two studies were completed during 2011-12: 

Health Information Workforce study. 

This study examined the national health 

information workforce and includes; 

defining the health information workforce 

and its composition; providing an analysis of 

the workforce; and identifying and analysing 

any estimated shortfall between supply and 

demand; 

Medical Physicist Workforce study. This 

study examined the radiation oncology 

medical physicist and diagnostic imaging 

medical physicist workforces using available 

data sources and applying the workforce 

dynamic indicators methodology that HWA 

is adapting from the Health Workforce 

New Zealand medical-discipline 

vulnerability-ranking method. 


39

HOW WE WORK 

PROVIDING LEADERSHIP 

For workforce reform to be a success, 

HWA needs to lead and promote debate 

on workforce reforms through a variety of 

programs and events. 

LEADERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE 

CHANGE 

The Australian health system needs strong 

leadership at all organisational levels if it 

is to be sustainable and responsive to the 

health needs of Australians now and in 

the future. For workforce reform we need 

leaders who are well placed to lead the 

transition of systems and staff and to manage 

the expectations of consumers and the 

community. 

HWA commissioned a scoping study in 

March 2011, the results of which have been 

published as a three part report: Leadership 

for the Sustainability of the Health System. 

The Leadership for Sustainable Change 

project seeks to strengthen national health 

leadership in three ways; 

 

leadership framework 

 

development program for senior and 

influential leaders across the public, private 

and not-for-profit sectors 

 

Torres Strait Islander health leaders. 

In 2012-13, interviews with nominated senior 


leaders will be analysed and will form the 

basis of recommendations for leadership 

development. This will contribute to achieving 

the goals of Closing the Gap by strengthening 

and supporting the capacity of the Aboriginal 

and Torres Strait Islander health workforce. 

When finalised, the Australian Health 

Leadership Framework will form the basis 

for the design and delivery of senior health 

leadership development programs. 

HEALTHY AUSTRALIA SERIES 

This series of public forums is designed to 

facilitate informed dialogue with the public, 

enabling people to be aware of HWA‘s 

objectives and participate in dialogue on 

health workforce reform. The forums feature 

leading international and Australian speakers 

and are supported with an integrated 

communications strategy, including a website, 

email and print media promotion. The 

audience consists of members of the public as 

well as health workforce experts, healthcare 

administrators, industry bodies, health 

workers and government staff. 

Two forums were held in 2011-12 and 

HWA partnered with the Bob Hawke Prime 

Ministerial Centre at the University of SA 

to deliver the sessions. The first event; 

‘An Ethical approach to Health Workforce 

Sustainability: Desirable? Achievable?’ 

featured Professor James Buchan from 

Edinburgh with two local respondents; Dr 

Andrew Lavender (Royal Adelaide Hospital) 

and Professor Helen McCutcheon (University 

of SA). This event had an audience of about 

400. 

The second event; ‘Building a viable 

Australian health workforce for our future’ 

featured Dr Helen Bevan from the NHS, UK 

and Dr Joshua Tepper from Canada. This 

event had an audience of about 320. 

40 


HOW WE WORK 

WORKING IN COLLABORATION 

FUTURE HEALTH LEADERS 

HWA believes emerging health professionals 

are vital stakeholders in reforming the 

Australian health workforce and has 

established the Future Health Leaders Council 

to allow for students and newly-graduated 

professionals to be able to provide their 

opinions and advice directly to HWA and its 

stakeholders. Membership grew over the 

course of the year to 250. 

The interim council consists of a small 

contingent of emerging health professionals 

who will establish the aims and role of the 

council to be elected in late 2012. The 

Future Health Leaders Council will be a new 

advocacy body for health professionals across 

Australia. 

CONSUMERS HEALTH FORUM 

HWA acknowledges the strong interest 

consumers have in ensuring the health 

workforce meets the needs of the Australian 

population in the future. In March 2012, 

HWA entered into an arrangement with the 

Consumers Health Forum, a peak consumer 

body, to facilitate consumer input to HWA’s 

initiatives and programs. 

RESEARCH COLLABORATION 

The National Health Workforce Planning 

and Research Collaboration is a consortium 

comprising the Australian Health Workforce 

Institute (AHWI), PricewaterhouseCoopers 

(PwC) and HWA. The collaboration is 

undertaking a substantial program of national 

health workforce planning and research 

projects over three years from 2009 to 2012. 

Three reports were released in 2011-12: 

Effects of Medical Graduate Expansion 

on Doctors’ Working Patterns. Australia is 

currently experiencing a rapid growth in the 

number of medical graduates flowing 

into the workforce. This study examined 

whether the pre-vocational trainees 

experience a reduced share of training 

opportunities and access to supervision, or 

whether the provision of training is keeping 

up with the growth in graduates. 

 

Nursing Workforce Exits. Understanding 

exit rates is an integral part of workforce 

planning and exit rates are a key input 

in the supply and demand modelling of 

HW2025. This study was commissioned as 

a technical report to validate the exit rates 

used in HW2025 by using an alternative 

data source and examining temporary and 

permanent exits among a sample of doctors 

and nurses. 

. 

The study set out a conceptual framework 

for examining workforce productivity, 

recognising the relationship between 

different health workforce professions and 

other inputs, including capital equipment, 

productivity, health service outputs and 

health outcomes. Economic concepts are 

presented to show the relationship between 

inputs and the production of outputs and 

they provide a potentially helpful method 

for examining the impact of changes to the 

mix of skills in the health workforce. 

Research commenced for two additional 

reports: one on the role of carers and 


41

HOW WE WORK 

volunteers in the Australian workforce and 

the other on a framework for effective clinical 

placements in rural and remote primary care 

settings. 

ALLIED HEALTH STAKEHOLDER 

CONSULTATIVE GROUP 

The Allied Health Stakeholder Consultative 

Group has been established to provide advice 

to HWA on its development of strategic 

directions in identifying and considering 

innovative and flexible health workforce 

solutions for allied health professionals across 

Australia. The group is chaired by the HWA 

CEO and has met three times: November 

2011, March 2012, and July 2012. The group’s 

outcomes and purposes will be reviewed in 


42 


CORPORATE 

GOVERNANCE 

ANNUAL REPORT 2011-2012 Health Workforce Australia 43

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 

GOVERNANCE 

HWA is a statutory authority established 

under the Commonwealth’s Health Workforce 

Australia Act 2009. The Commonwealth 

Authorities and Companies Act 1997 also 

applies to HWA in relation to reporting and 

accountability, banking and investment, and 

conduct of officers. 

The Health Workforce Australia Act 2009 

established the HWA Board as the governing 

body of HWA, which has been in operation 

since February 2010. The Board is responsible 

for ensuring the proper and efficient 

performance of HWA’s functions, as specified 

in the Health Workforce Australia Act 2009. 

HWA is managed on a daily basis by its Chief 

Executive Officer, with support from the 

Executive team. 


outlines HWA’s operations and functions 

which broadly include the development of 

policy and delivery programs across four 

main areas - workforce planning, policy and 

research; clinical training reform; innovation 

and reform of the health workforce; and the 

recruitment and retention of international 

health professionals. 


specifies that the Board will take direction 

from the Ministerial Conference. The 

Ministerial Conference refers to the forum 

comprising Health Ministers from each state, 

territory and the Commonwealth, currently 

known as the Standing Council on Health 

(SCoH). 

The responsible Minister for HWA is The Hon 

Tanya Plibersek, Minister for Health. The Hon 

Nicola Roxon, Minister for Health and Ageing 

was the preceding responsible Minister until 

December 2011. 

The HWA 2011–12 Work Plan, approved 

by Health Ministers, was provided to 

stakeholders on the HWA website and was 

used to report on HWA’s progress throughout 

2011–12. The Work Plan was aligned with 

commitments set out for HWA under COAG’s 


and Health Workforce Reform which was 

agreed by governments in 2008 to improve 

health workforce capacity, efficiency and 

productivity. 

A report which summarises HWA’s progress 

against its 2011–12 Work Plan is provided at 

www.hwa.gov.au 

44 



ENABLING LEGISLATION, FUNCTIONS 

AND OBJECTIVES 

HWA’s functions and powers are outlined 

within the Health Workforce Australia Act 

2009 as reproduced below. 

FUNCTIONS 

1. Health Workforce Australia has the 

following functions: 

a. to provide financial support for the 

delivery of clinical training (including 

simulation training) for the purposes of 

the health workforce by making 

payments to or in respect of: 

i. eligible students undertaking or 

proposing to undertake eligible clinical 

training; or 

ii. persons providing eligible clinical 

training or facilities for eligible clinical 

training; 

b. to provide other support for the delivery 

of clinical training for the purposes of the 

health workforce (for example, by 

providing services for the purpose of 

matching students with suitable courses 

providing clinical training); 

c. to carry out research, and collect, analyse 

and publish data or other information, 

for the purpose of informing the 

evaluation and development by the 

Ministerial Conference of policies in 

relation to the health workforce; 

d. to develop and evaluate strategies for 

development of the health workforce; 

e. to advise the Ministerial Conference on 

matters relating to the health workforce; 

f. such other functions (if any) as may be 

conferred on it by the regulations. 

2. A function may be conferred on Health 

Workforce Australia by regulations made 

for the purposes of paragraph (1)(f) only 

if the Ministerial Conference has requested 

that the function be conferred on Health 

Workforce Australia. 

3. The Minister may make a legislative 

instrument specifying: 

a. the kinds of students who are eligible for 

the purposes of paragraph (1)(a); and 

b. the kinds of clinical training that are 

eligible for those purposes. 

4. Without limiting the generality of 

subsection (3), the legislative instrument 

may specify kinds of clinical training by 

reference to: 

a. specified courses or kinds of courses in 

which clinical training is provided; or 

b. specified persons or kinds of persons 

providing clinical training. 

FUNCTIONS DO NOT INCLUDE 

ACCREDITATION 

1. The functions of Health Workforce Australia 

do not include responsibility for 

accreditation of clinical education and 

training (for example, accreditation of 

individual health professional courses). 

2. The regulations must not confer on Health 

Workforce Australia responsibility for 

accreditation of clinical education and 

training. 

POWERS 

Health Workforce Australia has the power 

to do all things necessary or convenient 

to be done for or in connection with the 

performance of its functions. 


45


REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS 

NOTIFICATION OF SIGNIFICANT 

EVENTS 

There have been no significant events, 

as referred to in Section 15 of the 

Commonwealth Authorities and Companies 

Act 1997, to report during the 2011-12 

financial year. 

SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN AFFAIRS 

AND ACTIVITIES 

There have been no significant changes, 

as referred to in section 15 of the 


Act 1997, in HWA’s state of affairs or principal 

activities that have occurred during the 2011- 

12 financial year. 

DEVELOPMENTS SINCE THE END 

OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR 

There have been no developments since the 

end of the 2011-12 financial year that have 

significantly affected HWA’s operations or 

that may significantly affect its operations in 

future financial years or the results of those 

operations or HWA’s state of affairs in future 

financial years. 

JUDICIAL DECISIONS AND REVIEWS 

BY OUTSIDE BODIES 

There have been no judicial decisions or 

decisions of administrative tribunals that have 

had, or may have, a significant impact on 

the operations of HWA during the 2011-12 

financial year. There have been no reports 

on the operations of HWA by the Auditor- 

General (other than the report on the financial 

statements), a Parliamentary committee or the 

Commonwealth Ombudsman. 

MINISTERIAL DIRECTIONS 

There have been no directions issued by the 

Minister for Health, or other Minister, under the 

Health Workforce Australia Act 2009 or other 

legislation during the 2011-12 financial year, 

since the end of the 2011-12 financial year, or 

continuing from previous financial years. HWA 

was not subject to any General Policy Orders 

during the 2011-12 financial year. 

INDEMNITIES AND INSURANCE 

PREMIUMS FOR OFFICERS 

No instances occurred during the financial 

year where a Director or HWA officer 

indemnified or insured an officer/ex-officer of 

HWA from any liability incurred by the person 

as an officer of HWA. 

DISABILITY ACCESS STATEMENT 

HWA is committed to providing full access 

and opportunity for people with a disability in 

accordance with the Commonwealth Disability 

Discrimination Act 1992. The Act prohibits 

discrimination against people with a disability, 

and HWA seeks to ensure unimpaired access 

to employment and services to enable equity 

and equal opportunity within its workplace. 

46 



WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY 

HWA places a high priority on workplace 

health and safety, as required by the Work 

Health and Safety Act 2011. 

Through leadership, individual commitment 

and guidance provided by the Work Health 

and Safety (WHS) Committee, HWA is 

building and developing a culture that 

embraces health and safety across all its 

activities. 

The WHS Committee is chaired by the 

Executive Director Corporate and Finance 

and comprises employee representatives from 

each work group. It has been instrumental 

in ensuring that all necessary measures were 

taken during the year to ensure the health, 

safety and welfare of staff and visitors. 

With the inception of the new harmonised 

work, health and safety laws from 1 January 

2012, HWA has been reviewing its WHS 

management system and risk assessment 

processes to ensure broader and more clearly 

defined processes are in place. In addition 

HWA has improved its consultation processes 

to provide workers with a reasonable 

opportunity to express their view and 

contribute to decision making. A number 

of new policies and procedures have been 

implemented including the Fair Treatment 

Policy and Procedure, Home-Based Work 

Procedure and Reporting Hazards, Incidents 

and Near Misses Procedure. 

During the period 2011-12, there were 

two minor incidents that occurred in the 

workplace. Neither of these incidents were 

reportable to Comcare. 

ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE 

DEVELOPMENT AND 

ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE 

In accordance with the Environment 

Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 

1999, HWA reports that it: 

 

sustainable development and seeks to 

ensure that its activities accord with those 

objectives by taking economic, 

environmental and social considerations 

into account in making decisions; 

 

its activities on the environment through 

sustainability measures for energy 

efficiency, waste and water management. 

Recycling initiatives are applied across all 

key office materials and waste is separated 

to be recycled where possible in order to 

meet environmental standards. Energy saving 

measures have been adopted so that power 

consumption is maintained at the minimum 

level possible. 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY 

The values maintained by HWA, its Board and 

staff recognise fairness, equity and diversity 

within the workplace. The values enshrine a 

commitment to ensuring the prevention of any 

discrimination on the basis of race, gender, 

sexual preference, age, physical or mental 

disability, marital status, family responsibilities, 

pregnancy, religion, political opinion, national 

extraction or social origin. 


47


HWA BOARD 

The Health Workforce Australia Act 2009 established the HWA Board as the governing 

body of HWA. The Board is responsible for ensuring the proper and efficient 

performance of HWA’s functions, as specified in Section 5 of the Health Workforce 

Australia Act 2009. The Board has power to do all things necessary and convenient to 

be done for or in connection with the performance of its duties. 

Board members are appointed by the Federal Health Minister, in consultation with 

state and territory Health Ministers. Appointments are made on a part-time basis for 

a minimum of three years and a maximum of five years. All members of the Board are 

non-executive directors. 

The HWA Board consists of an independent chair, a nominee from the Commonwealth 

and from each state and territory, and up to three independent members. During 

2011–12, the following Directors held appointments with the Board; 


Mr McGinty was appointed as inaugural Chair of the HWA Board in 

February 2010. He brings significant skills and experience to this role, 

drawing on his 19-year term as Member for Fremantle in the Western 

Australian State Parliament, where he held the positions of Minister 

for Health (2003–08), Attorney General (2001–08) and Leader of the 

Opposition (1994–96). As Health Minister, Mr McGinty was responsible 

for developing and implementing a health reform plan which saw 

substantial rebuilding of tertiary and regional hospitals – including the 

flagship Fiona Stanley Hospital and new children’s hospital; major public 

health initiatives against smoking and junk food; and a significant shift in 

funding and service emphasis toward ambulatory and primary health care, 

including mental health. As Western Australia’s Attorney-General, Mr 

McGinty is recognised for his contribution to law reform – creating new 

legal institutions and modernising the law to reflect twenty-first century 

standards and values. He is on the boards of the Telethon Institute for 

Child Health Research, Australian Medicare Local Alliance, Fremantle 

Medicare Local, and is a volunteer with Fremantle Sea Rescue. 

Qualifications: BA, BJuris (Hons), LLB. 

48 



Dr Peggy Brown 

Dr Brown is Director-General of the ACT Government Health 

Directorate and has previously been the Chief Psychiatrist and 

Director of Mental Health in the Australian Capital Territory and also 

in Queensland Health. She was a National Health Service International 

Fellow in the United Kingdom. She has held multiple roles on 

professional bodies, including the Royal Australian and New Zealand 

College of Psychiatrists, the National Mental Health Working Group 

and as a member of the Psychiatry Workforce Working Group of the 

Australian Medical Workforce Advisory Committee. She is currently 

Deputy Chair, Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council and a 

Director of the National E-Health Transition Authority. Dr Brown was 

appointed as the Australian Capital Territory’s nominee to the HWA 

Board in February 2010. Dr Brown is Chair of the HWA Standing 

Advisory Committee for Higher Education and Training, and a member 

of the Audit and Risk Management Committee. 

Qualifications: MB,BS (Hons), FRANZCP 

Professor Sandra Capra AM 

Professor Capra has had an extensive career in nutrition and dietetics, 

encompassing clinical, community, food service, management, research 

and teaching roles. She was appointed a Member of the Order of 

Australia in 2003 for her contribution to community health, nutrition and 

dietetics education and research. She is Professor of Nutrition at the 

University of Queensland. She broadened her interests more generally to 

allied health through previous roles such as Head of School at the School 

of Health Sciences at the University of Newcastle and Professor of Allied 

Health Research at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. She has 

held numerous representational roles and has served on a number of 

local, state and national committees addressing issues in health and 

tertiary education. She has always been actively involved in professional 

associations, having served as President of the Dietitians Association 

of Australia as well as a Director and the current Chair of the Board of 

Directors of the International Confederation of Dietetic Associations. 

Professor Capra was appointed as an independent member of the 

HWA Board in February 2010. Professor Capra is a member of the HWA 

Finance Committee. 

Qualifications: BSc(Hons), DipNutr&Diet, MSocSc, PhD, FDAA 


49


Professor Mary Chiarella 

Professor Chiarella’s career spans 40 years in both the United Kingdom 

and Australia across a variety of nursing services. She is Professor of 

Nursing at the University of Sydney. In 2003-04 she was the Chief 

Nursing Officer at the NSW Health Department, and before that was 

the Foundation Professor of Nursing in Corrections Health. For many 

years, Professor Chiarella has provided her professional expertise to 

health services, organisations and governments. Examples include a 

review of professional practice and boundary issues for Justice Health in 

the NSW Health Department, and membership of the NSW Law Reform 

Commission Division Working Group on minors’ consent to medical 

treatment. She was a founding member of the Australian Bioethics 

Association and the Australian Institute for Health, Law and Ethics. She 

was Chair of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council from 2007- 

09, and is currently a member of the Clinical Ethics Advisory Panel for 

NSW Health, the NSW nominee on the Nursing and Midwifery Board of 

Australia, and Chair of its Policy Working Group. Professor Chiarella was 

appointed as an independent member of the HWA Board in February 

2010. She is the Chair of HWA’s Standing Advisory Committee for 

Health Professions, and a member of the Remuneration Committee. 

Qualifications: RN, RM, LLB (Hons), PhD 

Dr Felicity Jefferies 

As the current Executive Director of Clinical Reform at WA Country Health 

Service and previous Director of the Western Australian Centre for Rural and 

Remote Medicine, Dr Jefferies has extensive knowledge of rural recruitment 

and workforce issues. Also included in her portfolio are Aboriginal health, 

postgraduate medical education, telehealth and the Southern Inland Health 

Initiative (SIHI) - a $565 million package to improve health care for the people 

of the southern inland region. Dr Jefferies was a member of the Medical 

Board of WA for ten years. She is also a member of a number of committees 

and boards involved in rural workforce matters. With 30 years experience in 

working with country issues, including 15 years as a rural general practitioner, 

she brings crucial knowledge about providing innovative solutions to rural 

and remote workforce challenges. Dr Jefferies was appointed as Western 

Australia’s nominee to the HWA Board in February 2010. Dr Jefferies is a 

member of the HWA Remuneration Committee. 

Qualifications: MBBS, FACRRM 

50 



Professor John Horvath AO 

Professor Horvath was the Australian Government Chief Medical Officer 

from 2003-2009. He continues to advise the Department of Health and 

Ageing and the School of Medicine, University of Sydney, and holds 

the position of Honorary Professor of Medicine. He was a member of 

the National Health and Medical Research Council and Chair of the 

Healthcare Committee until 30 June 2012. He is Chair of the Prosthesis 

Listing Advisory Committee of the Australian Government, and a 

member of the Advisory Council of the Australian Organ and Tissue 

Donation Authority. Professor Horvath is an independent non-executive 

Director of Crown Ltd and Crown Melbourne Ltd. He is a Fellow of 

the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and is a distinguished 

practitioner, researcher and teacher. Professor Horvath was previously a 

clinical professor of medicine at University of Sydney, a specialist renal 

physician at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA), and area Director of 

Renal Services for the RPA Hospital and Concord Repatriation General 

Hospital. He is also known as a leader in a range of medical training 

and workforce organisations, and is a former President of the Australian 

Medical Council and the NSW Medical Board. He was appointed 

an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2001 for his services to 

medicine. Professor Horvath was appointed as the Commonwealth’s 

nominee to the HWA Board in May 2012. 

Qualifications: MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA (Hon) 

Dr Nigel Lyons 

Dr Lyons has had extensive experience in developing and implementing 

workforce reform initiatives. He has more than 20 years’ experience 

as a health service manager in both metropolitan and rural service 

settings culminating in his appointment as Chief Executive of Hunter 

New England Area Health Service from 2007 to 2010. Dr Lyons’ 

understanding of health workforce issues and clinical experience has 

led to previous appointments with the Postgraduate Medical Council 

of NSW, the NSW Institute of Medical Education and Training and the 

NSW Rural Doctors Network Board. In February 2012 he commenced 

as the Chief Executive of the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation. Dr 

Lyons was appointed as New South Wales’ nominee to the HWA Board 

in February 2010, and concluded his term on 18 May 2012. During his 

term with the Board Dr Lyons was the Chair of the HWA Audit and Risk 

Management Committee. 

Qualifications: BMed (Hons), MHA 


51


Mr Jeff Moffet 

Mr Moffet has held the position of Chief Executive of the Department 

of Health in the Northern Territory since September 2010. Mr Moffet 

is a member of the Menzies School of Health Research Board and 

Menzies Finance Committee in the Northern Territory as well as the 

Counter Disaster Council of the Northern Territory. He is currently Chair 

of the Health Workforce Principal Committee, a Director of National 

E-Health Transition Authority Board (NEHTA), member of NEHTA Audit 

and Risk Committee and Chair of the NEHTA Finance Subcommittee. 

Prior to his current role as Chief Executive, he held numerous positions 

within Western Australia Health, including the Acting Chief Executive 

Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Western Australia Country Health 

Service. He has also managed a range of health service facilities in 

the north of Western Australia. Mr Moffet is a physiotherapist and has 

practised in a wide range of settings and locations across the Northern 

Territory and Western Australia. Mr Moffet was appointed as the 

Northern Territory’s nominee to the HWA Board in February 2011. Mr 

Moffet is the Chair of HWA’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health 

Workforce Advisory Committee. 

Qualifications: BSci (Physiotherapy), GradDipBus 

Dr Brendan Murphy 

Dr Murphy is Chief Executive Officer of Austin Health in Victoria. 

Before this, he was Chief Medical Officer and Director of Nephrology 

at St Vincent’s Health, Melbourne. He is a Professorial Associate at the 

University of Melbourne and a Director of the Florey Neuroscience 

Institutes. Dr Murphy was formerly a board member of the Royal 

Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, a Director of Kidney Health Australia 

and President of the Australian and New Zealand Society of 

Nephrology. Dr Murphy was appointed as Victoria’s nominee to the 

HWA Board in February 2010. Dr Murphy is the Chair of the HWA 

Finance Committee. 

Qualifications: MBBS, Ph.D, FRACP, FAICD 

52 



XXX 

Mr David Roberts 

Mr Roberts has extensive experience in the management of health 

workforce issues having previously held the positions of Secretary of 

the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services, Chairman 

of the Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council’s Health Policy 

Priorities Principal Committee, National Registration Governance 

Committee and Health Workforce Principal Committee. He is also a 

former Chief Executive Officer of the University of Birmingham and 

Warwickshire National Health Service Trust, in the United Kingdom. 

Mr Roberts was appointed as Tasmania’s nominee to the HWA Board 

in February 2010 and concluded his term on 22 June 2012. During his 

term with the Board Mr Roberts was the Chair of HWA’s Remuneration 

Committee and the Chair of the Standing Advisory Committee for the 

NGO and Private Sector. 

Qualifications: MBA, FACHSE (Hon) 

Mr David Swan 

Mr Swan is Chief Executive of the South Australian Department for 

Health and Ageing. Before taking up the position in March 2011, Mr 

Swan spent four years as the Executive Director of Operations within 

the Department for Health and Ageing. Mr Swan has over 27 years’ 

experience as a chief executive in the public and private health care 

system in Australia, including two years as Chief Executive of the 

Southern Adelaide Health Service and over four years as Chief Executive 

of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital. He has also been the National 

Executive Director of Calvary Healthcare Group, responsible for a range 

of public and private hospitals in four Australian states. Mr Swan is an 

Associate Fellow of the Australian College of Health Service Executives 

and has held Director positions on the Women’s Hospitals of Australasia, 

the Australian Private Hospitals Association and was the State President 

of the Private Hospitals Association of Tasmania. He is a Board Director 

for National E-Health Transition Authority and the South Australian 

Health and Medical Research Institute. Mr Swan was appointed as South 

Australia’s nominee to the HWA Board in February 2011. 

Qualifications: BHSc, GradDipMgt, AFCHSE 


53


Professor Simon Willcock 

Professor Willcock is a general practitioner who has worked in 

both rural and urban New South Wales. He is Discipline Head of 

General Practice at the University of Sydney, and Associate Dean for 

Postgraduate Medical Education and Training in the Sydney Medical 

Program. His educational and research interests include musculoskeletal 

medicine, the health workforce and generational change in the 

medical workforce, and the health of doctors. Professor Willcock is a 

past Director of the NSW Institute of Medical Education and Training, 

and is currently Chair of the Confederation of Postgraduate Medical 

Education Councils. Professor Willcock was a member of the Board of 

General Practice Education and Training (GPET) for more than seven 

years, including six years as Chair. He concluded his term with GPET 

in May 2012. Professor Willcock was appointed as an independent 

member of the HWA Board in February 2010. 

Qualifications: MBBS (Hons1), PhD, FRACGP, MAICD 

Professor Andrew Wilson 

Professor Wilson is Executive Dean, Faculty of Health, at Queensland 

University of Technology. His previous roles include the Deputy 

Director General of Policy, Strategy and Resourcing for Queensland 

Health, and Chief Health Officer and Deputy Director General of Public 

Health for NSW Health. Professor Wilson holds Fellowships of the 

Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Australasian Faculty 

of Public Health Medicine and brings expertise to the planning and 

funding aspects of health workforce development. Professor Wilson 

is a member of the Repatriation Medical Authority and the Specialist 

Education Advisory Committee of the Australian Medical Council and 

has been a member of the Medical Services Advisory Committee and 

Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee. He is a member of the 

boards of the Greater Brisbane South Medicare Local and the Metro 

South Hospital and Health Service. Professor Wilson was appointed as 

Queensland’s nominee to the HWA Board in February 2010. Professor 

Wilson is a Member of the HWA Finance Committee, and the Workforce 

Planning and Research Advisory Committee. 

Qualifications: BMed Sci, MBBS(Hons), PhD, FRACP, FAFPHM 

54 



DIRECTOR ATTENDANCE AT HWA BOARD MEETINGS 2011–12 

NAME 

MEETING DATE 

15 Jul 

2011 

16 Aug 


21 Oct 


2 Dec 


30 Jan 


2 Mar 


4 May 


22 Jun 


The Hon James 

McGinty 

Dr Peggy 

Brown 

Professor Sandra 

Capra 

Professor Mary 

Chiarella 

Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Present 

Absent Absent Present Present Present Present Absent Present 


Present Absent Absent Present Present Present Present Present 

Professor John 

Horvath 1 

Present 

Present 

Dr Felicity 

Jefferies 

Dr Nigel 

Lyons 2 

Mr Jeff 

Moffet 

Dr Brendan 

Murphy 

Mr David 

Roberts 

Mr David 

Swan 

Professor Simon 

Willcock 

Professor Andrew 

Wilson 


Present Absent Present Present Present Absent Absent 

Present Present Present Absent Present Absent Absent Present 

Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Absent 

Present Absent Absent Present Absent Present Absent Present 

Present Absent Absent Present Absent Present Absent Present 

Present Present Present Absent Present Absent Present Absent 

Present Present Present Absent Present Present Present Present 

1 Appointed 1 May 2012 

2 Term concluded 18 May 2012 


55


BOARD COMMITTEES 

Section 39 of the Health Workforce Australia 

Act 2009 enables HWA to establish 

committees to advise or assist it in the 

performance of its functions. In 2011-12 the 

HWA Board was supported by the following 

committees: 

AUDIT AND RISK MANAGEMENT 

COMMITTEE 

The HWA Audit and Risk Management 

Committee performs a range of functions 

relating to the strategic management 

of risks, including assisting HWA and 

its Directors to comply with obligations 

under the Commonwealth Authorities 

and Companies Act 1997 and providing 

a forum for communication between the 

Board, management, and internal and 

external auditors. Membership of the 

Committee comprises two Board Directors 

and an external subject matter expert. The 

Committee met four times during 2011-12. 

FINANCE COMMITTEE 

The HWA Finance Committee performs a 

range of functions, including preparing HWA’s 

annual budget for consideration by the 

Board, monitoring and reporting on financial 

performance and developing strategies for 

improving HWA’s financial performance. The 

Committee also ensures HWA’s compliance 

with relevant legislative requirements 

relating to financial management under the 

Health Workforce Australia Act 2009 and the 


Act 1997. Membership of the Committee 

comprises three Board Directors, an external 

subject matter expert, the Chief Executive 

Officer and the Chief Financial Officer. The 

Committee met eight times during 2011-12. 

REMUNERATION COMMITTEE 

The HWA Remuneration Committee 

performs a range of functions relating to 

the remuneration of HWA staff, including 

overseeing the implementation of the 

Executive Remuneration Guidelines and 

providing guidance on the remuneration 

framework and Enterprise Agreement for 

non-executive staff. Membership of the 

Committee comprises three Board Directors 

and the Chief Executive Officer. The 

Committee met once during 2011-12. 

STANDING ADVISORY 

COMMITTEES 

HWA has four standing advisory committees 

that provide advice to the Board on key 

health workforce issues; emerging educational 

and service delivery issues and trends; the 

development and implementation of HWA 

programs and effective stakeholder relations 

approaches. The four committees are: 

 

Professions (four meetings held in 2011-12) 

 

Education and Training (four meetings held 

in 2011-12) 

 

Private Sector (five meetings held in 

2011-12) 

 

Health Workforce Advisory Committee 

(three meetings held in 2011-12). 

Each committee comprises representatives 

from stakeholder organisations within the 

relevant sector. Each committee is chaired by 

a Director of the HWA Board. 

56 



JURISDICTIONAL POLICY 

COMMITTEE 

The HWA Jurisdictional Policy Committee 

was established to advise the HWA Board on 

national health workforce policy and strategic 

priorities to assist it in the implementation 

of its work program. Membership of the 

committee comprises the chief executives 

of state, territory and Commonwealth 

health departments and the Chief Executive 

Officer of HWA. The Committee met once 

during 2011-12, however was subsequently 

disbanded in February 2012, and consultation 

with jurisdictional chief executives has since 

occurred through HWA’s engagement with the 

Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council. 


57


EXECUTIVE 

The Executive is HWA’s senior leadership team. 

It is led by the Chief Executive Officer who has 

responsibility for the day-to-day administration 

of the organisation and the execution of all 

directions given by the HWA Board. With the 

support of the Executive, the Chief Executive 

Officer ensures that the Board is provided with 

all necessary information to enable it to fulfil its 

governance responsibilities. 

The Executive meets on a weekly basis to 

consider matters relating to strategic business 

planning, organisational governance and risk 

management. 

HWA’s Executive team comprises: 

Mr Mark Cormack, Chief Executive Officer 

Mr Ian Crettenden, Executive Director 

Information Analysis and Planning 

Mr Ben Wallace, Executive Director Clinical 

Training Reform 

Mr Etienne Scheepers, Executive Director 

Workforce Innovation and Reform 

Ms Claire Austin, Executive Director 

International Health Professionals 

Mr Roberto Bria, Executive Director Corporate 

and Finance 

Ms Simone Williams, Executive Director 

Communication and Marketing 

Ms Monica Novick, Director Coordination and 

Strategic Policy 

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE 

Chief 

Executive 

Officer 

Office of 

the CEO 

Coordination 

& Strategic 

Policy 

Information 

Analysis 

& Planning 

Clinical 

Training 

Reform 

Workforce 

Innovation 

& Reform 

International 

Health 

Professionals 

Corporate 

& Finance 

Communication 

& Marketing 

58 



HUMAN RESOURCES 

HWA is committed to implementing best 

practice human resources principles; 

practices which not only adhere to legislative 

employment requirements, but position HWA 

as an employer of choice. In 2011-12 HWA 

continued to invest considerable effort in 

recruiting a diverse and talented workforce. 

PROGRESS TOWARDS ENTERPRISE 

AGREEMENT 

As a non-Australian Public Service (APS) 

Commonwealth Agency established under the 


Act 1997, HWA is required to comply with 

the Australian Government Enterprise 

Bargaining Framework (2009) by establishing 

an enterprise agreement. An agreement was 

negotiated in 2011-12 for commencement in 

August 2012. 

Currently all HWA staff are employed on 

common law contracts while an enterprise 

agreement is being developed. The common 

law contracts are modelled on the terms and 

conditions of the Australian Public Service 

(APS). 

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 

HWA has a suite of human resources 

policies, procedures and guidelines that are 

reviewed on a regular basis in order to ensure 

compliance and best practice. 

New 

 

 

 

 

Procedure 

 

 

 

Revised 

 

Guideline 

 

 

HWA has an annual performance planning 

and review process which serves to monitor 

employee performance and develop capability 

to support the delivery of HWA’s Work Plan. 

In accordance with the HWA Flexible 

Remuneration Packaging Guidelines, salary 

packaging is available to eligible HWA 

employees. HWA has remuneration guidelines 

for both executive and non-executive staff. 

These guidelines set out the principles that 

underpin the development of remuneration 

levels for executive and non-executive staff. 

HWA also has competency frameworks 

for both executive and non-executive 

classifications to classify positions within HWA. 


59


GRADUATE PROGRAM 

The first HWA Graduate Program was 

established in 2012. Four graduates are 

participating in the one-year program that 

will provide a balance of development 

opportunities across the programs delivered 

by HWA. 

In addition to working on a research project, 

the graduates will be exposed to and 

participate in a variety of dynamic work across 

four HWA work groups including Clinical 

Training and Reform; Information Analysis and 

Planning; International Health Professionals; 

and Workforce Innovation and Reform. The 

program includes; 

 

 

program 

 

 

The HWA Graduate Program provides 

a strong foundation to encourage the 

development and growth of graduates as they 

embark on their careers. 

HUMAN RESOURCE NUMBERS 

Staff headcount 127 

Gender 

33 male, 94 female 

Ongoing 98 

Non ongoing 29 

Full time 116 

Part time 11 

(as at 30 June 2012) 

60 



MANAGEMENT 

RISK MANAGEMENT 

HWA uses a formal risk management 

framework to ensure a systematic approach 

to the identification and management of risk. 

The framework sets out the policy governing 

HWA risk management; the risk-related 

responsibilities and accountabilities of all 

parties within HWA; the governance and 

management arrangements that apply to 

HWA risk management; and the processes 

and tools to be used. The foundation of 

this framework is based on the International 

Standard for Risk Management, ISO 31000. 

An enterprise risk assessment is used to 

identify and monitor those risks to HWA’s 

ability to deliver against its strategic 

objectives. The HWA Audit and Risk 

Management Committee reviews the 

enterprise risk assessment at each meeting in 

order to monitor HWA’s risk profile and the 

effectiveness of control measures. 

FRAUD 

HWA is committed to the prevention of fraud 

through the identification of risk, and the 

development, implementation and regular 

review of a range of fraud prevention and 

detection strategies. The HWA Statement to 

Staff on Fraud sets out HWA’s stance on fraud 

and the responsibilities and obligations of staff. 

The HWA fraud control framework is based on 

the Commonwealth Fraud Control Guidelines 

2011 and the HWA fraud control plan includes 

a summary of all prevention, detection, 

reporting and investigation measures adopted 

by HWA. A fraud risk assessment is used to 

identify and monitor HWA fraud-related risks. 

The Audit and Risk Management Committee 

reviews the fraud risk assessment at each 

meeting in order to monitor HWA’s fraud 

risk profile and the effectiveness of control 

measures. 

INTERNAL AUDIT 

Throughout 2011-12, HWA conducted an 

internal audit program to assist the Board, the 

Audit and Risk Management Committee and 

HWA management in the effective discharge 

of their responsibilities in risk management 

and internal control. An external provider 

performs HWA’s internal audit function and 

the program comprises internal audit projects 

that address risks identified in the HWA 

enterprise risk assessment. 

The internal audit function provides assurance 

on the effectiveness of the internal control 

procedures and mechanisms in place to 

mitigate risks within HWA. The internal auditor 

reports the outcomes of each internal audit 

project to the Audit and Risk Management 

Committee. 

COMPLIANCE FRAMEWORK 

HWA uses a compliance framework in 

order to ensure that it meets its external 

and internal compliance obligations, as 

specified in the relevant legislation, relevant 

Australian Government policy frameworks 

and the directions of the HWA Board and 

Chief Executive Officer. In order to facilitate 

compliance, HWA has established a number 

of controls that consist of authorisations, 

management instructions, frameworks, and 

policies and procedures. The purpose of 


61


the controls is to set the parameters within 

which HWA’s conduct must operate so that 

compliance with its obligations is achieved. 

The HWA compliance framework includes the 

regular conduct of a compliance assessment 

in order to determine the level of compliance 

against HWA’s obligations. The Audit and 

Risk Management Committee reviews the 

compliance assessment at each meeting. 

LOCATION OF MAJOR ACTIVITIES 

AND FACILITIES 

The primary location for HWA’s major 

activities and facilities for 2011-12 was 400 

King William St, Adelaide. 

GRANTS ADMINISTRATION UNIT 

A Grants Administration Unit (GAU) was 

established by HWA in December 2011. 

The GAU is responsible for the conduct 

of consistent and compliant grant-related 

processes in line with the Commonwealth 

Grant Guidelines 2009 and ensuring the 

effective and efficient provision of HWA grant 

funding to recipients. A summary of HWA 

grant funding is available on the HWA website. 

PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE 

The Project Management Office (PMO) was 

established by HWA in April 2011 to monitor 

progress and support the implementation 

of key programs and initiatives across the 

organisation. The PMO has established a 

project management methodology and 

associated templates to support program 

managers and provide a consistent approach 

to managing projects across HWA. The PMO 

publishes a report of progress against the 

implementation of the work plan on the HWA 

website each quarter. 

62 


PUBLICATIONS 


63

PUBLICATIONS 

PUBLICATIONS 

A National Approach for the Integration of Simulated Learning Environments into 

Audiology Education: Final Report 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker Interim Report 

Competency Based Education and Competency Based Career Frameworks: Informing 

Australian Health Workforce Development 

Doctors in Focus 

Final Report on Dietitians Simulated Learning Environment Project 

Growing our Future: Final report of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health 

Worker Project 

Health Workforce 2025 – Doctors, Nurses and Midwives – Volume 1 

Health Workforce 2025 – Doctors, Nurses and Midwives – Volume 2 

Health Workforce Migration to Australia: Policy trends and outcomes 2004-2010 

Leadership for the Sustainability of the Health System, Parts 1 to 3 

Medical Physicist Workforce Study 

National workforce productivity modeling 

National Health Workforce Innovation and Reform Strategic Framework for Action 

2011-2015 

Patterns and Determinants of Medical and Nursing Workforce Exits 

Scope of practice review: Oral Health Practitioners 

Simulated Learning Environments Exercise Physiology Curriculum Report 

Simulated Learning Environments Orthoptic Curriculum Report 

Simulated Learning Project Curriculum Report for Chiropractic 

The effects of medical graduate expansion in Australia – Final Report 

The potential role of Physician Assistants in the Australian context 

The effects of medical graduate expansion in Australia 

Use of Simulated Learning Environments (SLE) in Undergraduate Optometry Training 

Workforce Innovation: Caring for Older People program 

64 


FINANCIAL 

STATEMENTS 


65

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

66 





68 




Other 

70 




72 




74 




76 




78 




80 




82 




84 




86 




88 




90 




92 




94 




$59,999 

96 




98 


Note 13B: Average Annual Reportable Remuneration Paid to 

Substantive Senior Executives During the Reporting Period 


99


Notes: 

1. This table reports substantive senior executives who received remuneration during the reporting period. Each row is an 

averaged figure based on headcount for individuals in the band. 

2. ‘Reportable salary’ includes the following: 

a) gross payments (less any bonuses paid, which are separated out and disclosed in the ‘bonus paid’ column); 

b) reportable fringe benefits (at the net amount prior to ‘grossing up’ to account for tax benefits); and 

c) exempt foreign employment income. 

3. The ‘contributed superannuation’ amount is the average actual superannuation contributions paid to senior executives in 

that reportable remuneration band during the reporting period, including any salary sacrificed amounts, as per the 

individuals’payslips. 

4. ‘Reportable allowances’ are the average actual allowances paid as per the ‘total allowances’ line on individuals’ 

payment summaries. 

5. ‘Bonus paid’ represents average actual bonuses paid during the reporting period in that reportable remuneration band. 

The ‘bonus paid’ within a particular band may vary between financial years due to various factors such as individuals 

commencing with or leaving the entity during the financial year. No bonuses were paid during the financial year. 

6. Various salary sacrifice arrangements were available to senior executives including superannuation, motor vehicle and 

expense payment fringe benefits. Salary sacrifice benefits are reported in the ‘reportable salary’ column, excluding salary 

sacrificed superannuation, which is reported in the ‘contributed superannuation’ column. 

100 ANNUAL REPORT 2011-2012 Health Workforce Australia

Notes: 

1. This table reports staff: 

a) who were employed by the entity during the reporting period; 

b) whose reportable remuneration was $150,000 or more for the financial period; and 

c) were not required to be disclosed in Tables A, B or director disclosures. 

Each row is an averaged figure based on headcount for individuals in the band. 

2. ‘Reportable salary’ includes the following: 

a) gross payments (less any bonuses paid, which are separated out and disclosed in the ‘bonus paid’ column); 

b) reportable fringe benefits (at the net amount prior to ‘grossing up’ to account for tax benefits); and 

c) exempt foreign employment income. 

3. The ‘contributed superannuation’ amount is the average actual superannuation contributions paid to senior executives in 

that reportable remuneration band during the reporting period, including any salary sacrificed amounts, as per the 

individuals’payslips. 

4. ‘Reportable allowances’ are the average actual allowances paid as per the ‘total allowances’ line on individuals’ 

payment summaries. 

5. ‘Bonus paid’ represents average actual bonuses paid during the reporting period in that reportable remuneration band. 

The ‘bonus paid’ within a particular band may vary between financial years due to various factors such as individuals 

commencing with or leaving the entity during the financial year. No bonuses were paid during the financial year. 

6. Various salary sacrifice arrangements were available to senior executives including superannuation, motor vehicle and 

expense payment fringe benefits. Salary sacrifice benefits are reported in the ‘reportable salary’ column, excluding salary 

sacrificed superannuation, which is reported in the ‘contributed superannuation’ column. 











APPENDIX A 

KEY DOMAINS - NATIONAL HEALTH WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND 

REFORM STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION 2011-2015 

1. HEALTH WORKFORCE REFORM FOR MORE EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT AND 

ACCESSIBLE SERVICE DELIVERY 

Reform health workforce roles to improve productivity and support more effective, 

efficient and accessible service delivery models that better address population 

health needs 

2. HEALTH WORKFORCE CAPACITY AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT 

Develop an adaptable health workforce equipped with the requisite competencies and 

support that provides team-based and collaborative models of care 

3. LEADERSHIP FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE HEALTH SYSTEM 

Develop leadership capacity to support and lead health workforce innovation and reform 

4. HEALTH WORKFORCE PLANNING 

Enhance workforce planning capacity, both nationally and jurisdictionally, taking account 

of emerging health workforce configuration, technology and competencies 

5. HEALTH WORKFORCE POLICY, FUNDING AND REGULATION 

Develop policy, regulation, funding and employment arrangements that are supportive of 

health workforce reform 


GLOSSARY 

AHMC: Australian Health Ministers’ 

Conference 

(See Standing Council on Health) 

AMC: Australian Medical Council 

The accreditation authority responsible for 

accrediting education providers and programs 

of study for the Australian medical profession. 

AHMAC: Australian Health Ministers’ 

Advisory Council 

The forum comprising the chief executives 

of state, territory and the Commonwealth 

departments of health. 

AHPRA: Australian Health Practitioner 

Regulation Agency 

National regulator of health practitioners 

under the Health Practitioner Regulation 

National Law. 

AIHW: Australian Institute of Health and 

Welfare 

Australia’s national agency for health and 

welfare statistics and information. 

AHWI: Australian Health Workforce Institute 

Conducts health workforce research and 

works with HWA through the National 

Health Workforce Planning and Research 

Collaboration. 

Certificate IV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait 

Islander Primary Health Care 

Training for individuals who have knowledge, 

skills and experience in assessing and treating 

a range of health problems in Aboriginal 

and Torres Strait Islander clients that aims to 

enhance students’ skills and knowledge in 

Aboriginal health. 

Closing the Gap 

A commitment made by the Commonwealth, 

states and territories to address the 

disadvantage faced by Indigenous Australians 

in life expectancy, child mortality, education 

and employment. 

clinical placement 

Opportunity in a relevant professional 

setting for a health-sector student to 

build the knowledge, skills and attributes 

for professional practice, as identified by 

the education institution and/or external 

accrediting/licensing body. 

clinical supervision 

The oversight by a clinical supervisor of 

professional procedures and/or processes 

performed by a student or a group of students 

within a clinical placement for the purpose of 

guiding, providing feedback on, and assessing 

personal, professional and educational 

development in the context of each student’s 

experience of providing safe, appropriate, and 

high quality patient care. 

clinical supervisor 

An appropriately qualified and recognised 

professional who guides students’ education 

and training during clinical placements. The 

clinical supervisor’s role may encompass 

educational, support and managerial 

functions. The clinical supervisor is responsible 

for ensuring safe, appropriate and high quality 

patient care. 

competencies 

The abilities required of graduates, where 

specific elements of knowledge, skills and 

attitudes are the components of a given 

specific ability. 

COAG: Council of Australian Governments 

The peak intergovernmental forum in Australia 

comprising the Prime Minister, State and 

Territory Premiers, Chief Ministers and the 

President of the Australian Local Government 

Association. 


GLOSSARY 

Comcare 

The Commonwealth scheme that provides all 

scheme employers with a safety, rehabilitation 

and compensation system. 

competency-based training 

A structured approach to training and 

assessment that is directed toward achieving 

specific outcomes. 

DBA: Dental Board of Australia 

The Australian registration body for dentists, 

dental students, dental specialists, dental 

therapists, dental hygienists, oral health 

therapists and dental prosthetists. 

harmonised work, health and safety laws 

Commonwealth requirement for all 

jurisdictions to introduce work health and 

safety laws consistent with the WHS Act. 

Health Careers Australia 

HWA brand for promoting Australian health 

workforce careers to international health 

professionals. 

Health Workforce Principal Committee 

A subcommittee of AHMAC that provides 

advice on health workforce issues. 

HWA: Health Workforce Australia 

Commonwealth authority established through 

the COAG National Partnership Agreement 

on Hospital and Health Workforce Reform 

(Schedule B: Workforce Enablers) to improve 

health workforce capacity, efficiency and 

productivity. 

HWA 2011–12 Work Plan 

Program of work set by HWA and approved 

by AHMC for implementation in 2011-12. 

Used by HWA to report on progress during 


inter-professional education 

Where students from two or more professions 

in health and social care learn together as part 

of their professional training. 

jurisdictions 

Commonwealth, State and Territory 

governments of Australia. 

Medicare Locals 

Primary healthcare organisations established 

to coordinate primary healthcare delivery and 

tackle local healthcare needs and service gaps. 

Mental Health Workforce Advisory 

Committee 

Subcommittee of the Health Workforce 

Principal Committee and the Mental Health 

Standing Committee (MHSC) that provides 

advice on mental health workforce issues. 

National Health Workforce Innovation and 

Reform Strategic Framework for Action 

2011-2015 

Strategic document approved by AHMC in 

August 2011 that provides an overarching, 

national platform to guide future health 

workforce policy and planning in Australia. 


and Health Workforce Reform 

An agreement between the Commonwealth, 

states and territories to improve efficiency 

and capacity in public hospitals through a 

series of key reforms. HWA was established 

through this National Partnership Agreement 

to implement reforms to improve health 

workforce capacity, efficiency and productivity. 

National Health Workforce Planning and 

Research Collaboration 

A consortium comprising AHWI, 

PriceWaterhouseCoopers and HWA that 

undertakes health workforce research. 


GLOSSARY 

NHS Institute for Innovation and 

Improvement 

UK agency for reforms to the UK health 

service. 

OECD nations 

Member nations of the Organisation for 

Economic Cooperation and Development. 

Overseas Trained Doctor Network 

Network managed by the General Practice 

Education and Training organisation to 

support international medical graduates to 

attain registration in Australia. 

scope of practice 

The range of activities that a practitioner in an 

occupation or discipline may practice. Scope 

of practice is usually limited to what legislation 

allows for specific education and experience, 

and specific demonstrated competencies. 

Standing Council on Health 

The forum comprising Health Ministers of each 

state, territory and the Commonwealth (known 

as Australian Health Ministers’ Conference 

until November 2011). 


INDEXES 

INDEX OF ANNUAL REPORT REQUIREMENTS 

Approval by Directors, 68 

Corporate governance practices, 43 

Enabling legislation, 45 

Financial statements, 65 

Information about Directors, 48 

Location of major activities and facilities, 62 

Organisational structure, 58 

Regulatory requirements, 46 

Responsible Minister, 44 

INDEX 

2011–12 Work Plan, 12, 41, 44 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, 9, 10, 15, 16, 18, 32, 

40, 52, 56, 109, 64 

advisory committees, HWA, see Standing Advisory 

Committees 

advisory council, see Australian Health Ministers’ 

Advisory Council 

Aged care, 7, 14, 16, 20, 21, 25 

AHMAC, 12, 26, 28, 109, 110 

allied health, 10, 15, 16, 19, 22, 32,36, 42, 49 

Allied Health Stakeholder Consultative Group, 42 

Attraction and Marketing, see marketing 

Australia’s Health Workforce Series, 16, 38 

Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council, 

see AHMAC 

Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, 39, 109 

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 39 

Australian Medical Council, 23, 109 

Board committees, 56 

Board members, 46-54 

cancer, 33 

Caring for Older People, 16, 24 

CEO report, 8 

Chairman’s report, 6 

clinical supervision, 19, 20, 29, 109 

clinical training, 9, 12, 15, 19-21, 44, 45, 58 

Clinical Training Funding, 9, 14, 19 

Clinical Training Reform program 58, 59, 60 

Closing the Gap, 40 

COAG, 12, 33, 44, 110 

collaboration, see National Health Workforce 

Planning and Research Collaboration 

competency, 9, 18, 19, 29, 59 

Compliance Framework 61 

Consumers Health Forum, 41 

corporate governance. see governance 

Dental Board of Australia, 27, 110 

distribution, 7, 9, 12, 15, 30, 31-35, 37 

doctor(s), 6, 7, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 33, 34, 37, 38, 39, 41, 51, 

54, 64, 110, 

Domains of Action, 15, 37, 108 

endoscopy, 9, 16, 30 

enterprise agreement, 16, 56, 59 

Executive team, 38 

Fellowships, 19, 54 

financial statements, 65 

fraud, 61 

Future Health Leaders Council, 10, 16, 41 

Goals, 8 


INDEXES 

Governance, 43, 58 

Graduate Program, HWA 59 

Grants Administration Unit, 62 

Health Careers Australia,10, 22, 110 

Health Professionals Prescribing Pathway, 15, 26 

Health Workforce 2025, 6, 9, 10, 33, 36-39, 41, 42, 64 

Health Workforce Australia Act 2009, 8, 12, 44, 45, 46, 56 

Healthy Australia series, 40 

highlights, 14-16 

human resources, 16, 59 

HW2025, see Health Workforce 2025 

Integrated regional clinical training networks, 15, 20 

internal audit, 61 

international health professionals, 10, 12, 15, 22, 23, 32, 

44, 58, 60, 

inter-professional, 18, 21, 23 

leadership, 10, 12, 13, 40, 47, 58, 64 

Leadership for Sustainable Change, 40 

location of major activities and facilities, 62 

National Training Plan, 37 

Management, 61 

marketing, 15, 22, 58 

medical practitioners, 26, 37, also see doctors 

Medicare Local, 20 

mental health, 7, 18, 29, 49, 110 

Mental Health Workforce Advisory Committee, 29, 110 

midwife/midwives/midwifery, 6, 9, 15, 19, 21, 33, 37, 38, 

39, 50, 64 

Ministerial Conference, 44, 45 

National Cancer Workforce Strategy, 33 

National Health Workforce Planning and Research 

Collaboration, 41 

National Health Workforce Innovation and Reform 

Strategic Framework for Action 2011-2015, 13, 15, 33, 

37, 110 

National Mental Health Workforce Practice Standards, 29 

National Partnership Agreement, 6, 8, 12, 13, 20, 44, 

109, 110 

national policy work stream, 22 

National Statistical Resource, 39 

networks, see integrated regional training networks 

NHS, 37, 40, 111 

nurse(s)/nursing, 6, 7, 9, 10, 15, 16, 19, 21, 30, 32, 33, 

37-39, 41, 42, 50, 64 

nursing and midwifery graduate jobs information portal, 

21 

Objectives, 12, 15, 35, 40, 45, 47, 61 

OECD, 7, 111 

oral health, 9, 27, 38, 64, 110 

organisational structure, 58 

overseas trained doctor, see international health 

professional 

Overseas Trained Doctor Network, 23, 110 

paramedic, 9, 16, 21, 30, 38 

Pathways into Practice, 23, 

physician assistants, 9, 28, 

physiotherapy, 30, 52, 

policies and procedures, 59, 61 

prescribing. see Health Professionals Prescribing Pathway 

productivity, 9, 13, 18, 24-30, 37, 38, 42, 64, 108, 110 

Project Management Office, 9, 62 

public forum, see Healthy Australia series 

publications, 63-64 

regulatory requirements, 46-47 

research, 12, 19, 27, 28, 38, 41, 42, 44, 45, 48, 49, 51, 

52-54, 59, 109 

risk management, 49, 51, 56, 58, 61 

role and context, 13 

rural and remote, 7, 9, 12, 15, 20-22, 28, 32, 34, 35, 42, 

50 

Rural and Remote Health Workforce Innovation and 

Reform, 34 

rural health professionals, 22, 32 

rural medical generalists, 35 


INDEXES 

scope of practice, 16, 27, 30, 64, 110 

simulated learning, 9, 15, 20, 21, 64 

specialist workforce studies, 39 

Standing Advisory Committees, 41, 57 

Standing Council on Health, 13, 18, 44, 109, 111 

student, 10, 16, 19, 20, 28, 44, 109, 110 

supervision, see clinical supervision 

training, see clinical training 

values, 13, 60 

workforce capacity, 17-23, 34, 44, 108, 110 

workforce distribution, see distribution 

workforce flexibility, 29, 30 

workforce productivity, see productivity 

work plan, see 2011-12 Work Plan

HWA Annual Report 2011-2012 - Health Workforce Australia

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