• ​​Counsellors are tertiary qualified professionals originating from a variety of backgrounds and have specific training in various therapeutic models. Counselling focuses on facilitating the processing of personal and interpersonal functioning and may involve issues of mental health, emotional distress, substance misuse and systematic problems within families. It is a counsellor's role to establish a therapeutic relationship with individuals, couples or families who seek assistance on a range of issues impacting their lives.

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    Workforce characteristics for NSW Health counsellor workforce in 2040

    241
    Headcount

    66.8%
    Female

    30.4
    Work hours per week

    48.3
    Years average age

    21.5%
    Future 60+

    17.7%
    Aboriginal workforce target

    ​​Demand is expected to grow 1.6% (low demand scenario) to 1.8% (high demand scenario).

    Reasonable career opportunities

    ​​Workforce modelling indicates the need to grow the NSW counsellor workforce by around 0.5 to 1 new professionals per annum to meet community need in 2040 across both demand scenarios.

    Projected FTE growth for NSW Health counsellor workforce to 2040

    20212022202320242025202620272028202920302031203220332034203520362037203820392040
    High Demand139144150156162166169172
    		175177180182184185187188189191192192
    Status Quo139147156164172178183187192195199202205208210213215217219220
    Low Demand139144150156161164167170172174176178180181182183184185186187

    Workforce characteristics for NSW Health counsellor workforce in 2021

    175
    Headcount

    30.7
    Work hours per week

    46.9
    Years average age

    70.9%
    Female

    12.6%
    Aged 60+

    14.3%
    Aboriginal

    Metropolitan Sydney

    78
    Headcount

    30.1
    Work hours per week

    47.0
    Years average age

    5.7%
    Aged 60+

    Non-Metropolitan Sydney

    97
    Headcount

    30.4
    Work hours per week

    46.7
    Years average age

    6.9%
    Aged 60+

    Counsellor junior entrant positions into NSW Health

    Year20172018201920202021
    Graduates1411221624

    Workforce distribution for NSW Health counsellor 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: 0 | 0 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 complex health and social needs which includes our older Australians; people with histories of psycho-social distress or trauma; people with disability and people at risk of violence and harm may increase demand for counsellor workforce.
    • Natural disasters and pandemics increase psychosocial issues in the community and demand on the counsellor workforce. This may also impact workforce wellbeing and turnover.
    • Headcount may not accurately represent counsellor workforce due to many counsellor roles across NSW public health being multi-classified and filled by social workers and/or psychologists.
    • Counsellors can valuably contribute to reducing system pressure and chronic vacancies in mental health care as well as roles in rural and remote locations.
    • Physical infrastructure and counsellor space/room needs to be considered in service planning to optimise counselling practice and service delivery.
    • Growing the Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) workforce is seen as an ongoing priority for workforce pipeline.

    Notes

    • ​Data source: NSW Health. Vacancy data is excluded from the workforce model. Data included is limited to the workforce employed under the relevant health professional award. NSW Health may engage therapists on a sessional basis.
    • 2040 workforce characteristics reflect the high demand scenario.
    • Aboriginal Workforce target based on state target of 3.4% added to 2021 level.
    • 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