Who are our health providers?
Last updated November 22, 2023
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Our health workforce
Health professionals in our region
General practitioners (GPs) are considered the cornerstone of health care in the primary health care setting. A large number and range of other health professionals and services support GPs in providing primary health care services in our region.
Where are they?
There is substantial variation in the primary health care workforce across our region. In general there are lower numbers of clinicians in rural areas, for example there are low numbers of GPs in Uralla, Walcha, Liverpool Plains and Dungog as shown in the table below. Some clinician groups are also poorly represented in metropolitan or urban parts of the region, when compared to NSW as a whole.
Health Services in our region
| LGA | # General Practices | General Practitioners | Dentists | Pharmacies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armidale Dumaresq | 8 | 37 | 15 | 7 |
| Cessnock | 19 | 43 | 9 | 12 |
| Dungog | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Glen Innes Severn | 5 | 9 | 3 | 2 |
| Glouster | 1 | 7 | 3 | 1 |
| Godford | 56 | 208 | 79 | 38 |
| Great Lakes | 14 | 41 | 7 | 11 |
| Greater Taree | 16 | 52 | 15 | 13 |
| Gunnedah | 3 | 8 | 3 | 2 |
| Guyra | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Gwydir | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| Inverell | 6 | 15 | 7 | 3 |
| Lake Macquarie | 58 | 216 | 67 | 44 |
| Liverpool Plains | 6 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| Maitland | 23 | 68 | 27 | 15 |
| Moree Plains | 6 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| Musswellbrook | 4 | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| Narrabri | 5 | 11 | 0 | 3 |
| Newcastle | 55 | 222 | 69 | 41 |
| Port Stephens | 21 | 76 | 19 | 14 |
| Singleton | 10 | 24 | 0 | 4 |
| Tamworth Regional | 21 | 66 | 23 | 14 |
| Tenterfield | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Upper Hunter Shire | 5 | 16 | 3 | 5 |
| Uralla | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Walcha | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Wyong | 50 | 144 | 44 | 38 |
Workforce matters
Workforce is a key component of health planning. It is impacted locally by the national and state economies, as well as by regional and local plans and developments. Challenges facing the primary health care workforce include:
- Ageing workforce
- Changing hours of work for younger GPs
- Reliance on international medical graduates in areas of shortage
- Impact on small hospitals where GPs often provide VMO (visiting medical officer) and procedural services.