Workforce survey
Note: the text on this page draws its information from the 2024 Workforce Survey unless otherwise stated.
2024 Workforce Survey
The College's 2024 Workforce Survey was completed by 24 percent of the College's membership (1,374 respondents) between October and December 2024 and is carried out to gain demographics of the current workforce, as well as important insights into how specialist GPs and rural hospital doctors feel about their work, their place in the sector, and their own health and wellbeing.
Demographics
- The median age of survey respondents is 51 years, only one year younger than in both the 2020 and 2022 Workforce Surveys
- 17 percent of respondents are at or part retirement age, that is 65 years or older, and six percent are over 70 years.
- 59 percent of respondents were women, 39% were men
- 3 percent of respondents identify as Pacific Peoples; 2 percent identify as Middle Eastern, Latin, or African; 6 percent are Māori; 17 percent identify as Asian; and 78 percent are European (Pākehā).
How are we working
- 41 percent of GPs and 16 percent of rural hospital doctors had already used, or intended to use Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- The most frequently being used were notetaking/scribe tools
- The move towards an expanded multi-disciplinary team is one way the workforce is leading and adapting to keep up with evolving patient need.
- Burnout levels, which still unacceptable high, have shown some improvement since the 2022 Workforce Survey. In 2022 48 percent of GP respondents rated themselves as highly burnt-out (levels 7-10), in 2024 this decreased to 38 percent.
- Regardless, 70 percent of respondents in 2024 still rated themselves as moderately-to-highly-burnt-out (level 4-10). Unreasonable workloads, non-remunerated work and additional roles in general practice were at the forefront for why our GPs are still burnt out.
How do we feel?
- Despite the challenges 43 percent of GPs and 76 percent of rural hospital doctor respondents said they were 'quite likely' to recommend their vocation as a career, an increase from 39 percent (for GPs) in 2022.
Future of the workforce
- 50% of GP and 64% of rural hospital doctor respondents intend to retire in 10+ years
- 35% of GP and 21% of rural hospital doctor respondents intend to retire within the next five years
- 69% of GPs and 51% of rural hospital doctor respondents don't intend to leave New Zealand to work
- 17% of GP respondents aged 40-44 are considering leaving New Zealand, and 6% are intending to leave in the next five years (from 2024)
The Snapshot Report is the first in a series of reports analysing data from the 2024 Workforce Survey.
Future of the Workforce Report
Aotearoa is facing a shortage of GPs and in 10 years it is projected that it will be short 300 GPs.
After the Workforce Survey in 2020, the College commissioned a report to recommend practical changes to address the GP shortage.
The Future of the Workforce Report found that:
- The number of GPs per 100,000 people is projected to fall from 74 in 2021 to just 70 in 2031.
- People can’t always get a GP appointment when they need it. This is worst for Māori adults, but Māori and Pasifika children are also unable to get appointments.
- 10 extra GPs per 100,000 people means about 30 people a year wouldn’t die from cancer, respiratory, and cardiovascular issues.