Consultation: The Medical Workforce
Major changes are required in the way in which medical education is organised and delivered in NZ. That's one of the key findings of the Health Workforce Advisory Committee consultation document, "Fit For Purpose and For Practice: A Review of the Medical Workforce in New Zealand". The review looks at the current workforce and considers the likely impacts of a wide range of issues on the workforce of the future. These issues include demographic change, medical workforce characteristics, changing concepts of professionalism, the global medical labour market, and issues in training, development, recruitment and retention.
The consultation document identifies immediate priorities for consultation and early action, including:
- strengthening and increasing the primary health care workforce, particularly in general practice;
- changing the structure and process of both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education;
- innovative approaches to balance service commitments and training requirements and improve inter-disciplinary communication, team work and patient care;
- well-structured, ongoing vocational guidance and mentoring for medical students and recent graduates;
- better informed and organised support for vocational decision-making and early career development;
- clear strategies, policies and well-designed and publicised incentive schemes for the recruitment and retention of doctors in areas of special need;
- better gathering, analysis and reporting of workforce information;
- a systemic, sector-wide approach that links health sector strategies and workforce development; and
- leadership at all levels across the health system to drive service and workforce redesign and development.
Copies of the consultation document may be accessed at www.hwac.govt.nz, and submissions close 29 July. Hard copies of the document are available. |
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