The Australian pharmacist workforce: distribution and predictors of practising outside of metropolitan and regional areas in 2019

Objective

This study describes the distribution of the Australian pharmacists’ workforce using a range of indicators and identifies predictors of practising outside of metropolitan and regional areas.

Methods

A cross-sectional description of the 2019 pharmacy workforce. Pharmacists who completed the 2019 workforce survey as reported in the Australian National Health Workforce Dataset (NHWDS). The main outcome measures were the number of pharmacists per 100 000, the proportion working less than 35 h a week, the proportion with primary qualification from overseas (outside of Australia and New Zealand) and the proportion aged 65 years or older. Additionally, predictors of practising outside of metropolitan and regional areas were also identified.

Key findings

Nationally, there were 102 pharmacists/100 000 with one-third working less than 35 h a week. About 10% of pharmacists obtained their primary qualification from overseas and 4% were 65 years old or older. Males were more likely to practise outside of metropolitan and regional areas [OR, 1.40 (1.30–1.50); P < 0.001], while younger people were less likely to practise outside of these locations [OR, 0.71 (0.66–0.76); P < 0.001]. Those who had obtained their primary qualification overseas were also more likely to practise outside of metropolitan and regional areas.

Conclusions

Analysis of the 2019 NHWDS suggests an uneven distribution of the pharmacist workforce. Also, three predictors of practising outside of major cities and regional centres were identified.