Source: Radio New Zealand
Nearly 40 percent of public-sector physiotherapists want to leave their jobs, according to a new study. 123RF
Nearly 40 percent of public-sector physiotherapists want to leave their jobs, according to a new study out of Otago University.
Published in the New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy, the study provides what the authors believe is the first detailed picture of the public health physiotherapy workforce in Aotearoa.
Lead author Gillian Watson, PhD candidate in the School of Physiotherapy, said it highlighted a pressing workforce stability issue for the sector.
“Our results show that we have a skilled and experienced workforce. However, many are under pressure and considering leaving. This has implications for costs and continuity of quality of care across the public healthcare sector,” she said.
The research was based on a survey of more than 570 physiotherapists – 46 percent of Health New Zealand’s physiotherapy workforce of about 1200.
The results were then weighted to be representative of the whole workforce.
It found 39.6 percent of respondents intended to leave their jobs, and 19.4 percent had at least considered leaving the profession.
Watson said that was “concerning, but not entirely surprising”.
“There have been ongoing signals within the sector that retention is an issue, both in New Zealand and internationally. What this study does is put some numbers around that concern and highlights the scale of the challenge.”
Other results from the survey
- 59.3 percent of respondents had more than 10 years of experience
- 60.7 percent worked full-time
- 51.7 percent worked overtime
- 56.6 percent supervised students
- 49.3 percent contributed to the out-of-hours roster
Watson said this showed public-sector physiotherapists were working in “complex and demanding roles”.
“These aren’t the physiotherapists you find in private clinics or on the sports field,” she said.
“These are clinicians who work in and around hospitals, and so they support people across their health journey from intensive care to rehab to at home and in the community.”
They worked with anyone from neonatal babies to older people with complex health issues, including stroke, serious injury, respiratory illness, cancer, and other long-term conditions.
She said the research highlighted the importance of retaining clinicians, as it directly impacted quality-of-care.
“Strategies which strengthen recruitment, support, and retention of physiotherapists within the public health system are urgently needed. Prioritising these efforts will ultimately improve health outcomes for communities.”
The study was supported by a Health Research Council of New Zealand Clinical Training Fellowship.
Watson had worked for years as a physiotherapist herself. “I spent many years working on call overnights and being called into intensive care,” she said.
“These are complex environments like intensive care, stroke and spinal units in the emergency department, and you can’t replace that experience overnight.”
Health New Zealand spokesperson Sarah Mitchell said the study would help the agency understand opportunities for further support.
She said they were already working with Allied Health leaders and physiotherapy clinicians on retention.
In October last year, the government announced an expansion of the Advanced Clinical Practice Physiotherapist workforce, and Health NZ was now recruiting an additional 15 full-time roles, on top of the 21 supporting orthopaedic services delivering first specialist assessments (FSAs) across the country.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
