New data shows that South Australia’s health workforce is bigger than ever, with more nurses, midwives, doctors and ambulance services staff employed in the state than ever before.
Figures in the independent Auditor-General’s Report show that there are over 1000 additional frontline health staff in the state’s workforce than last year alone.
The Report also shows that a net increase of more than 2500 health staff has been added to the health system over the past three years, demonstrating the significant investment made in the state’s health workforce since the Marshall Liberal Government was elected.
The new figures come as the Government has recently announced the recruitment of a massive 1200 nurses to support its COVID-ready transition plan. Local Health Networks are also in the midst of recruiting around 370 nursing and midwifery positions across Adelaide, bringing a massive boost to the workforce.
Minister for Health and Wellbeing Stephen Wade said the Marshall Liberal Government was committed to increasing the health workforce even more in preparation for eased restrictions and relaxed borders once vaccination rates are higher.
“Our hospitals and health services provide world-class health care to South Australians and our skilled, dedicated workforce is fundamental to delivering that,” said Minister Wade.
“There are more doctors, more nurses and more ambulance services staff in South Australia right now than ever before and we are growing that number even further to support the state’s COVID-19 response.
“Once again, in the face of repeated claims of health job losses from the Labor Party, the actual data shows that South Australia’s health workforce continues to rise under the Marshall Liberal Government.
“While Labor lies, the numbers don’t. These are not small incremental increases – the fact is that there is a significantly larger health workforce in South Australia than there ever was under the former Labor Government.
“The health workforce has increased every single year since the 2018 election and the Marshall Liberal Government is continuing to invest in the health system going forward.
“We are investing record $7.4 billion into our health system, and we are embarking on a $3 billion hospital build program to ease pressure on our hospital system and deliver health care closer to home – we’re also building a larger workforce to support this.
“We are focused on delivering increased hospital capacity as part of our COVID-ready transition plan, and we will be announcing further elements of that plan soon. Ensuring we have a significantly increased workforce is a key plank of this plan.
“The community can be confident that, just as we have kept South Australia safe and strong throughout the pandemic by acting on the health advice, we will be ready for the relaxation of borders and easing of restrictions in South Australia, and we will have the capacity that we need in our health system when that occurs.”
