Health Workforce 2040

• Health Workforce 2040 is a long-term strategy to shape a health workforce that meets the needs of Tasmanians now and into the future.
• It aims to improve our workforce through strategies to develop staff, recruit efficiently and build a positive workplace environment.
• We have an ageing population creating demand for health services well above population growth and the cost of providing health services is rising year-on-year above the rate of inflation.
• This means planning must start now to build a sustainable and affordable health workforce by 2040.
• Our experiences with COVID-19 have demonstrated the importance of having a flexible workforce that can respond to changing environments and healthcare demands.

Health Workforce 2040 is made up of four volumes:

• Health Workforce 2040: Strategy
• Health Workforce 2040: Allied health
• Health Workforce 2040: Medicine
• Health Workforce 2040: Nursing and midwifery

Consultation

• The strategy has been developed following extensive consultation with health professionals, their representative bodies, education providers and consumers.
• More than 120 responses were received and considered following the release of the draft strategy in late-2020.
• We are sincerely grateful to all those who shared their time and expertise.

Focus areas

To tackle the long-term challenges of building a sustainable health workforce for all Tasmanians, Health Workforce 2040 has six focus areas:

1. Shaping the health workforce
2. Education and training
3. Fostering innovation
4. Enhancing culture and wellbeing
5. Recruitment and effective working arrangements
6. Planning

Building a health professional workforce of the right size and shape that is delivering effective and efficient health care services is a cornerstone not only for the sustainability of our state health services but for the broader financial sustainability of Tasmania.

Next steps

The implementation and monitoring of Health Workforce 2040 will be undertaken by the Department of Health (Tasmania). For any questions, please email: [email protected].