NT health gap exposed
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The Northern Territory faces a significant challenge in meeting its healthcare needs.
Researchers say there is a big gap between the region's population-to-health-worker ratio and the workforce required when factoring in disease burden.
A new study has found that the NT requires a 28 per cent increase in its health workforce to adequately address the burden of disease and injury.
The study analysed data spanning 2009 to 2021 from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and burden of disease metrics, using disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) as a benchmark.
While the NT has a marginally higher number of health workers per 1,000 people compared to the national average, its workforce is 22 per cent smaller when adjusted for disease burden.
To align with national standards, the study says the NT requires an additional 464 nurses and midwives, 196 physiotherapists, 189 psychologists, 152 pharmacists, and 144 dentists.
This shortfall reflects broader systemic challenges, particularly in catering to the health needs of Indigenous populations, where health outcomes and life expectancy remain disproportionately low compared to non-Indigenous Australians.
The report emphasises that population size alone is an insufficient metric for health workforce planning.
Instead, factoring in the burden of disease provides a clearer picture of healthcare demand.
The NT’s workforce density, while comparable nationally in terms of population ratios, fails to meet the region’s higher health demands, particularly in remote and Indigenous communities.
“Health worker population density alone does not reliably assess health workforce needs; burden of disease information is important for workforce planning that meets population health needs,” the researchers concluded.
The findings can be seen as evidence of the mounting pressures on NT’s health system, with life expectancy in the region significantly lower than the national average.
Without immediate action to expand the workforce, these pressures could exacerbate healthcare inequities and hinder efforts to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
The experts say that addressing the issue will require a multifaceted approach, including increased training opportunities, incentives for practitioners to work in remote areas, and targeted policies to support Indigenous health workers.