Aus has more doctors working longer
The per capita rate of doctors and dentists working in Australia has increased over the last 20 years, while the rate of nurses has recovered from a decline, according to a new analysis of Census data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS): Selected Health Occupations: Australia, 2006.
The ABS found that between 1986 and 2006, the number of general practitioners per 100,000 people increased from 152.6 to 178.6, the rate of specialists nearly doubled – from 57.7 to 92 – and dentist numbers went from 40.5 to 45.7 per 100,000 people.
However, the number of nurses per 100,000 people fell between 1986 and 1996 (from 1,113.7 to 1,048.7), but came back to 1,106.9 in 2006.
Doctors were more likely to remain in the workforce as they got older, with 12% of GPs and 14% of specialists aged 60 or older, compared to 7% of all employed people.
