HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Health statistics provide information about people's health and the provision of health services. The World Health Organisation has defined health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This definition of health is reflected in changing attitudes towards health care, where emphasis is now placed on preventative measures to protect health. Preventative measures involve the identification and avoidance of health risk factors and the greater involvement of communities in the management and organisation of health services.
Health services in the ACT are provided by the Commonwealth, the ACT Government, private individuals, companies and voluntary organisations. Health care is available from public and private hospitals, medical practitioners and a broad range of community health services concerned with both the treatment and prevention of ill health. All health professionals are required, under statutory authority, to register annually with the board established for each profession.
At 30 June 2006, there were 9,500 registered health professionals in the ACT, up 300 practitioners from in 2005 (9,200). Seventy-six per cent of this increase was due to Registered nurses (up 200 practitioners).
Registered nurses recorded the highest number of registered health professionals in the ACT in 2006 (4,500), more than double that of the next largest occupation, Medical practitioners (2,000).
The numbers of persons employed as Dental hygienists, Optometrists or Pharmacists declined between 2005 and 2006.
7.1 REGISTERED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, By occupation: ACT - 30 June 2006 |
|  |
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
| no. | no. | no. | |
| |
| Chiropractors | 49 | 53 | 59 | |
| Dental hygienists | 41 | 45 | 41 | |
| Dental specialists | 38 | 38 | 43 | |
| Dental technicians | 82 | 82 | 84 | |
| Dentists | 250 | 250 | 264 | |
| Enrolled nurses | 782 | 804 | 826 | |
| Medical practitioners | 1 945 | 2 046 | 2 056 | |
| Optometrists | 94 | 96 | 83 | |
| Osteopaths | 33 | 36 | 36 | |
| Pharmacists | 365 | 396 | 387 | |
| Physiotherapists | 354 | 365 | 382 | |
| Podiatrists | 46 | 40 | 45 | |
| Psychologists | 660 | 706 | 719 | |
| Registered nurses | 3 902 | 4 256 | 4 469 | |
| Total | 8 641 | 9 213 | 9 494 | |
| |
| ACT Health, Annual Report 2005-2006. |
