This independent review has found virtually all the nation’s health professions face restrictions and barriers in working to their fullest – restrictions that are unrelated to their skills, training and experience.

The review found that inconsistencies across states and territories make it harder for patients to get the care they need, and for health practitioners to move to where they’re needed. Healthcare activity that one state enables and supports, another state may block or restrict. 

The review found that removing these barriers would make it easier for Australians to get high quality care, when and where they need it. This is particularly the case in regional and remote areas, where a health professional may be available and yet the regulatory and legislative settings may not authorise or enable them to provide care that is within their skills, training and experience – or what’s known as their ‘scope of practice’.

Fewer needless barriers would mean health teams work better together across disciplines and health professionals have greater job satisfaction, making it more likely they stay in the workforce for longer.

The review was headed by Professor Mark Cormack and encompassed the health professions that work outside of hospital settings. This includes general practitioners, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, paramedics, allied health practitioners, as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners and workers.

The review proposes 18 recommendations across a number of reform areas, including workforce design, development, education and planning; legislation and regulation; and funding and payment policy.