Summary Statistics, Medical Profession

Summary tables were generated using a statistical package that uses different rounding methodologies to the Health Workforce Data Tool. Percentages and/or averages may differ slightly to those extracted from the Health Workforce Data Tool.

Registered and Employed in Australia 2017 to 2021

Interpreting 2021 Medical Practitioner data

From 16 June 2021, Services Australia started using the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency’s (Ahpra) Register of practitioners to confirm General Practitioners (GPs) specialist registration, required so their patients were eligible to retain access to Medicare Rebates. This change saw a significant short-term increase in medical specialist applications from GPs. Please note that this change in registration practice does not represent an additional GP workforce and care should be taken when comparing figures between 2020 and 2021.


Clinician Status Area 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
ClinicianGeneral practitioner (GP)*29,45530,06631,10231,62031,842
ClinicianHospital non-specialist10,51610,75912,09813,16113,671
ClinicianSpecialist32,24533,30335,02436,18937,421
ClinicianSpecialist-in-training16,33416,91616,52617,00117,735
ClinicianOther clinician1,8672,5602,2892,2892,527
Other4,7774,7914,8025,0335,305
Total95,19498,395101,841105,293108,501

*General Practitioners refer to General practitioners using the NHWDS as defined in the method papers under Main job area : General practitioners in Australia: Headcount & workload methods - Summary

Registered and Employed in Australia, 2021

Clinician Status Area Headcount Total FTE Average Age Average Total Hours
ClinicianGeneral practitioner (GP)*31,84229,264.651.336.8
ClinicianHospital non-specialist13,67115,781.033.146.2
ClinicianSpecialist37,42139,123.150.041.8
ClinicianSpecialist-in-training17,73519,819.234.244.7
ClinicianOther clinician2,5272,369.644.937.5
Other5,3054,874.953.236.8
Total108,501111,232.245.741.0

*General Practitioners refer to General practitioners using the NHWDS as defined in the method papers under Main job area : General practitioners in Australia: Headcount & workload methods - Summary

State and Territory, Registered and Employed in Australia, 2021

State Headcount Total FTE Average Age Average Total Hours
NSW33,62334,593.546.541.2
VIC27,59128,035.345.440.6
QLD22,48623,214.845.141.3
SA7,6417,781.146.340.7
WA11,11911,311.845.340.7
TAS2,4832,532.946.140.8
ACT2,1022,219.746.142.2
NT1,3401,429.842.242.7
Australia108,501111,232.245.741.0

*Australia data includes those where State or Territory is unknown

Remoteness Area, Registered and Employed in Australia, 2021

Remoteness Area Headcount Total FTE Average Age Average Total Hours
Major cities85,43087,249.145.840.9
Inner regional15,51415,829.145.740.8
Outer regional6,0906,537.744.942.9
Remote9231,011.844.643.9
Very remote431495.248.446.0
Australia108,501111,232.245.741.0

Modified Monash Model (MMM), Registered and Employed in Australia, 2021

Modified Monash Model Headcount Total FTE Average Age Average Total Hours
185,43087,249.145.840.9
210,08510,464.044.341.5
36,8587,154.845.841.7
42,4242,483.347.041.0
52,2222,249.548.140.5
69181,003.644.643.7
7451518.548.246.0
Total108,501111,232.245.741.0