For this indicator, the workforce for each profession is defined as those employed in the profession. This excludes those who are registered in the profession but are retired from regular work, working outside the profession, on extended leave of 3 months or more or working outside Australia.

Full-time equivalent (FTE) number = Total hours worked by workforce ÷ Standard working week for selected professions.

For the purpose of this indicator, a fulltime working week has been defined as 40 hours for medical practitioners and as 38 hours for dental practitioners, nurses and midwives, and allied health practitioners.

Allied health practitioners comprises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners, Chinese medical practitioners, chiropractors, medical radiation practitioners, occupational therapists, optometrists, osteopaths, pharmacists, physiotherapists, podiatrists and psychologists.

Australian population in the reference year

2010 —State and territory by age group by profession for the following professions:

• medical practitioners (resupplied for updated Estimated Resident Population (ERP))

2011 —State and territory by age group by profession for the following professions:

• medical practitioners (resupplied for updated ERP)
• nursing and midwifery (resupplied for updated ERP)
• dental practitioners (resupplied for updated ERP)
• allied health practitioners

2012 —State and territory by age group by profession for the following professions:

• medical practitioners
• nursing and midwifery
• dental practitioners
• allied health practitioners

Most recent data available for the 2014 Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Reform Council (CRC) report: 2012.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) provide data originally sourced from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and Health Workforce Australia (HWA), and its availability for NHA reporting is dependent upon AHPRA and HWA providing their respective data in accordance with agreed timings (see below for profession-specific details).

Full-time equivalent (FTE) employed health practitioner rates calculated from the National Health Workforce Data Set will be available on a national basis for 2011 and subsequent years.

For medical practitioners, nurses and midwives, dental practitioners and allied health practitioners, 10-year age groups will be needed to support the disaggregation by state and territory. Age groups are: under 25, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64 and 65 or over.

Status of the calculation of fulltime equivalent employed health practitioner rate for professions is:

1. Medical practitioner workforce:  Data for 2012 have not been received from AHPRA or HWA.
2. Nursing and midwifery workforce: Data for 2012 are available.
3. Dental workforce: Data for 2012 have not been received from AHPRA or HWA.
4. Allied health workforce: For 2011, data are available for the professions of chiropractors, optometrists, osteopaths, pharmacists, physiotherapists, podiatrists and psychologists.  Data for 2012 are available and in addition to the previously listed professions include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners, Chinese medical practitioners, medical radiation practitioners and occupational therapists.

Specification: Minor work required, the measure needs minor work to meet the intention of the indicator.