Canberra health workforce to grow by 100 this year due to ACT budget funding

The positions will be funded in the upcoming ACT budget, with $16.4 million allocated to hire more physiotherapists, social workers, psychologists, occupational therapists and other allied health workers.

The number of full time positions is set to increase by 100 this financial year and 70 next financial year.

The upcoming ACT budget will also include funding to improve staff safety. This will include a focus on addressing occupational violence and psycho-social wellbeing. There will be $7.2 million spent on these initiatives.

The government will undertake system-wide workforce planning to ensure the health service is well-placed to grow the health workforce into the future.

Unions have been calling for workforce planning, saying a lack of a plan has resulted in the staffing crisis currently being experienced at the hospital.

MORE A.C.T. BUDGET 2022-23

Money will also be spent to ensure frontline health workers can undertaking training on how to use the new digital health record system.

There will be $50 million spent on the roll out of the government's Digital Health Record project. The project will collate paper records and clinical records of patients held in separate IT systems.

The Canberra Times understands there are concerns from hospital staff around the timing of the roll out particularly as the health system is facing significant strain.

Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the investment would support more timely discharge from hospital and would help to improve emergency department performance.

"More nurses and midwives, more doctors, more allied health professionals and more support staff will strengthen our workforce to deliver the health services our growing population needs," she said.

"The ACT government is committed to the safety and wellbeing of our frontline health professionals. We will continue to work with staff and their unions to ensure our health services are positive places to work, so they can do what they do best - delivering high-quality care for Canberrans."

Chief Minister Andrew Barr will deliver the budget on August 2.

"Canberrans can trust that we will continue to invest in our healthcare system as our city grows," he said.

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