A regional health service's job advertisement for at least 31 new employees is yet another example of the issues facing the health sector.
Western District Health Service (WDHS) employs about 850 people across Western Victoria, with the majority at the Hamilton Base Hospital.
The ad seeks emergency department staff, a midwife, a podiatrist, a physiotherapist, a social worker, nine support staff, and an unspecified number of nurses.
Staff are also sought across WDHS's aged care facility in Hamilton, as well as for campuses in Coleraine and Penshurst.
Health care going through tough times
WDHS chief executive Rohan Fitzgerald said the search for staff highlighted the impacts of the pandemic and systemic issues with the health industry.
"We are going through undoubtedly one of the hardest periods in terms of recruitment, retention and attraction that I have seen in many, many years of health care," Mr Fitzgerald said.
"Everyone understands health care's a tough gig and when you jump into it, you're going to be expected to work really hard. I would imagine that's a barrier for some people."
Mr Fitzgerald said that despite seeking at least 31 new employees, the Western District Health Services has continued to deliver all of its services.
"These positions that are available … they'll assist and reduce the amount of pressure on our workers that are doing a magnificent job in very, very difficult circumstances … that have been challenging for them over the course of the past two and a half years.
"The teams at WDHS and all health services across our region and across Victoria are doing a power of work.
The tyranny of distance
Attracting people to the health industry was one thing, but attracting people to work in the health industry in regional areas was a whole other concern, Mr Fitzgerald said.
He said WDHS had partnered with an online university and a local TAFE to provide the option for people to train locally in Hamilton in an effort to combat that.
But Mr Fitzgerald said things may get worse before they get better.
Sector needs 'renaissance'
Mr Fitzgerald said in the coming years the sector would be facing an additional need for nursing staff.
"We know that over the next few years … there's going to be an expectation for an extra 14,000 registered nurses to drop into the sector as a result of the royal commission's recommendations into aged care," he said.
"How are we going to respond to that?
Mr Fitzgerald said the industry needed to explore technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics to fill the required positions.
"This is a very unusual and unique time to be alive, and that is unfortunately playing out in terms of the job sector," he said.
"If you look at the supply that's coming through the system in terms of nurses, doctors, allied health professionals, healthcare workers, and support services, it's not going to be enough to deal with the vacancies that currently exist.
"That's an issue that is going to have to be resolved through a significant level of structural reform in the health system."
