Optometric supply and demand in Australia: 2001-2031.

BACKGROUND

Major influences on health workforce supply include factors such as graduate numbers, retention rates and immigration. This report presents a model of the relationship of the projected Australian optometric workforce and projected optometric service demand for the period 2001 to 2031. Two contrasting hypothetical optometric supply-side scenarios are presented.

METHODS

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on age and gender of people listing optometry as their major qualification in the 2001 census were projected over a 30-year period, accounting for factors such as ageing, attrition, new graduates and migration. Data were compared to the numbers of optometrists calculated as necessary to meet the demand for services of the Australian population to 2031.

RESULTS

The projections indicated that in 2031, there would be 4,072 equivalent full-time optometrists, an excess of 6.9 per cent compared with demand and that of these 38 per cent would be female. Application of a 'high' growth scenario, based on increases in the proportion of optometrists in active practice, working hours by females and graduate and immigrant numbers, resulted in a projected oversupply of up to 30 per cent. Use of a 'low' growth scenario, based on decreases in the proportion of optometrists in active practice, working hours, graduate and immigrant numbers, resulted in a projected undersupply of at least 21.5 per cent.

CONCLUSIONS

Projected numbers of optometrists using current weightings for mortality, attrition, proportion of optometrists in active practice, working hours, immigration and new graduates indicate that in 2031, there will be adequate numbers of optometrists to meet the demand for services, if service utilisation is maintained at current levels or increased slightly. The adequacy of projected numbers varies considerably if alterations are made to the weighting factors using 'high' and 'low' growth scenarios.