Audiology

  • ​Audiologists work with clients to help them to preserve, manage and improve their hearing, their ability to process and understand sounds, and their balance. An audiologist is an allied health professional who diagnoses and manages hearing and balance problems in adults and children. The goal, especially with young children and babies, is to assess hearing so that any necessary treatment can enhance and optimise language and communication skills and learning.
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    Workforce characteristics for NSW Health audiology workforce in 2040

    35
    Headcount

    23
    Work hours per week

    3.4%
    Aboriginal workforce target

    ​Demand is expected to grow 1.2% (low demand scenario) to 1.4% (high demand scenario).


    Reasonable career opportunities

    ​Workforce modelling indicates the need to grow the NSW audiology workforce by around 0.4 to 0.6 new professionals per annum to meet community need in 2040 across both demand scenarios.


    Projected FTE growth for NSW Health audiology workforce to 2040

    20212022202320242025202620272028202920302031203220332034203520362037203820392040
    High Demand FTE2121212222222223232324242425252526262627
    Status quo FTE2121222324242220192020202021212222222221
    Low Demand FTE2121212222222223232323242424252525252626

    Workforce characteristics for NSW Health audiology workforce in 2021

    29
    Headcount

    22.2
    Work hours per week

    50.6
    Years average age

    86.2%
    Female

    25%
    Aged 60+

    0%
    Aboriginal

    Metropolitan Sydney

    28
    Headcount

    21.6
    Work hours per week

    50.1
    Years average age

    13.9%
    Aged 60+

    Non-Metropolitan Sydney

    8
    Headcount

    24.2
    Work hours per week

    52.3
    Years average age

    11.1%
    Aged 60+

    Audiology junior entrant positions into NSW Health

    Year
    		20172018201920202021
    Graduates
    		20010


    Workforce distribution for NSW Health audiology workforce in 2021

    The geographic distribution of the public workforce by local health district/network, by facility and per 100,000 population.

Legends

Per local health district

0 1-25 26-50 51-75 76-100 100+

Per 100,000 population

0 1-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 20+

Per facility

0 1-25 26-50 51-75 76-100 100+

Other networks

  • Sydney Children's Hospitals: 1 to 25 | 1 to 5 per 100,000
  • Enable NSW: 0 to 10 | 0 per 100,000
  • Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health: 0 | 0 per 100,000

  • Workforce considerations

    • Population demographics and increasing incidence of complex and chronic disease increases demand for audiology services.
    • New government funding initiatives and policy will influence Audiology workforce movement in NSW Health (i.e.: closing the gap on Aboriginal hearing and ear health, the SWIS-H program and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)).
    • Ensuring sustainable training pipelines, graduates, and workforce reflect the future workforce requirements of the community, by both location, speciality and skills.
    • Improvements in data capture and demand (met and unmet) is a prioritised need for the workforce.
    • Advancements in technology and increased use of technology for screening, therapeutics, predictive and diagnostic purposes may increase demand for audiology workforce.
    • Consideration needs to be given for physical infrastructure and equipment to deliver all audiology services.
    • Changes in ear, nose and throat medical models of care may increase demand for audiology workforce.
    • The audiology workforce is ageing. Workforce planning which includes succession planning and bringing in new entrants to NSW Health should be a priority for this workforce.

    Notes

    • Data included is limited to the workforce employed under the relevant health professional award.
    • Specialty health networks are not displayed geographically in the workforce distribution maps.
    • LHD/SHN may engage in sessional arrangements in selected circumstances.
    • Workforce that cannot be aligned to a physical location have been attributed to a pre-determined facility within each LHD/N. This may impact on Headcount shown at these facilities within the distribution map.  
    • NSW Health does not make any representations or warranties whether expressed or implied with respect to the accuracy and completeness of the information contained in the fact sheet.   
Current as at: Wednesday 24 May 2023
Contact page owner: Workforce Planning and Talent Development