Health workforce data
Understanding the context
Health systems can only function with health workers
The ACT needs a skilled and motivated health workforce to meet its health goals. The number, skills, and location of health workers affect the quality of care and health outcomes. Understanding the health workforce helps the ACT plan for population changes, new health challenges, and future workforce needs.
A focus on AHPRA-registered health practitioners
This page focuses only on health practitioners registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), where workforce data is most complete and reliable. Other health workers – such as those in self-regulated and unregulated professions – are not included because comprehensive and consistent data on these groups is not readily availabl
Understanding AHPRA and its role
AHPRA is the statutory authority responsible for administering the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (the Scheme). The Scheme ensures that health practitioners meet national professional standards before they can legally practise in Australia. The Scheme provides a centralised system for registration, regulation, and accreditation, covering the following registered health professions in 2023:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners
- Chinese medicine practitioners
- Chiropractors
- Dental hygienists
- Dental prosthetists
- Dental therapists
- Dentists
- Medical practitioners
- Medical radiation practitioners
- Midwives
- Nurses
- Occupational therapists
- Optometrists
- Oral health therapists
- Osteopaths
- Paramedics
- Pharmacists
- Physiotherapists
- Podiatrists
- Psychologists
Estimating the health workforce in the ACT
This page uses AHPRA registration data from the Health Workforce Data Tool. The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care maintains the tool. We apply the following rules to ensure accuracy and consistency:
- Headcount, not full-time equivalent (FTE): The data counts people, not hours worked.
- Active, registered practitioners only: The data only includes those employed and working in their registered profession at the time of self-reporting.
- Includes both clinical and non-clinical roles: The data includes practitioners in direct clinical roles and non-clinical roles, such as administration, education, and research.
- Includes both healthcare and non-healthcare settings: The data includes practitioners working in public hospitals, private hospitals, private practices, government departments, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, community health, mental health services, drug and alcohol services, disability services, aged care services, businesses, schools, universities, correctional facilities, the defence force, remote settings, and other settings.
Key workforce statistics by health profession
The number of practising, registered health practitioners, 2019 to 2023
Professions | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners | 0 | n.p. | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Chiropractors | 63 | 64 | 61 | 61 | 64 |
Chinese medicine practitioners | 66 | 62 | 51 | 56 | 53 |
Dental practitioners | 385 | 408 | 411 | 427 | 435 |
Medical practitioners | 1,965 | 2,020 | 2,102 | 2,162 | 2,272 |
Medical radiation practitioners | 259 | 258 | 266 | 293 | 311 |
Nurses and midwives | 5,859 | 5,973 | 6,395 | 6,606 | 6,850 |
Occupational therapists | 324 | 355 | 387 | 409 | 415 |
Optometrists | 89 | 101 | 101 | 112 | 103 |
Osteopaths | 40 | 42 | 44 | 35 | 40 |
Pharmacists | 490 | 530 | 568 | 593 | 617 |
Physiotherapists | 609 | 647 | 693 | 736 | 768 |
Podiatrists | 68 | 68 | 75 | 72 | 77 |
Paramedicine practitioners | 230 | 255 | 237 | 269 | 289 |
Psychologists | 786 | 874 | 834 | 877 | 895 |
The number of practising, registered health practitioners per 100,000 population, 2019 to 2023
Professions | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners | 0.0 | n.p. | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Chiropractors | 14.5 | 14.4 | 13.5 | 13.4 | 13.7 |
Chinese Medicine practitioners | 15.1 | 13.9 | 11.3 | 12.3 | 11.4 |
Dental practitioners | 88.4 | 91.7 | 90.8 | 93.5 | 93.3 |
Medical practitioners | 451.0 | 454.0 | 464.5 | 473.2 | 487.1 |
Medical radiation practitioners | 59.4 | 58.0 | 58.8 | 64.1 | 66.7 |
Nurses and midwives | 1,344.6 | 1,342.5 | 1,413.2 | 1,445.8 | 1,468.6 |
Occupational therapists | 74.4 | 79.8 | 85.5 | 89.5 | 89.0 |
Optometrists | 20.4 | 22.7 | 22.3 | 24.5 | 22.1 |
Osteopaths | 9.2 | 9.4 | 9.7 | 7.7 | 8.6 |
Pharmacists | 112.5 | 119.1 | 125.5 | 129.8 | 132.3 |
Physiotherapists | 139.8 | 145.4 | 153.1 | 161.1 | 164.7 |
Podiatrists | 15.6 | 15.3 | 16.6 | 15.8 | 16.5 |
Paramedicine practitioners | 52.8 | 57.3 | 52.4 | 58.9 | 62.0 |
Psychologists | 180.4 | 196.4 | 184.3 | 191.9 | 191.9 |
n.p. = Not published (number too small to report)
Source: Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, Health Workforce Data Tool, 2019–2023. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Quarterly Population Estimates (ERP) by State/Territory, 2019–2023. (ACT population as of June 2019: 435,730; 2020: 444,903, 2021: 452,508; 2022: 456,915; 2023: 466,416)
Future updates aligned with AHPRA’s registration cycle
The preparation and release of AHPRA registration data to the Health Workforce Data Tool is an ongoing process. The process follows AHPRA’s annual registration renewal cycle. We aim to update these tables annually with the latest available data.
Health workforce analytics projects and publications
The ACT Government works with the Australian National University and the Capital Health Network on health workforce analytics projects. These projects aim to improve the modelling and understanding of the health workforce in the ACT. We will publish the findings when completed, making them available for use by other planners, policymakers, and stakeholders involved in health workforce planning.