More challenges ahead for healthcare hiring managers

Hiring managers in the healthcare sector are being hit with greater pressure to fill job vacancies.

According to the Omega Medical Jobs & Salary Index, quarter two saw a 6.3 per cent increase in medical job vacancies nationwide. This comes off the back of quarter-one results, which saw an 8.6 per cent rise in vacancies nationwide.

The results mean year on year, there’s been an 11 per cent spike in demand and a 26.5 per cent increase in demand compared to two years ago.

Breaking down the states, Western Australia was the only one to experience a decline in job opportunities in the medical sector this quarter — by 3.2 per cent.

On the opposite end, demand increased 10.4 per cent in Queensland, followed by 9.2 per cent in Victoria and 7.6 per cent in NSW.

Looking at the sectors, general practice demand increased 2.9 per cent, and aged-care demand experienced a 3 per cent increase.

Hospital and practice management vacancies rose by 20.9 per cent in this quarter. Meanwhile, demand for medical technicians was up 21.7 per cent, and for nurses 11.9 per cent (which is 21.4 per cent higher than a year ago).

John Codner, managing director at Omega Medical, said the massive cumulative boost in demand would inevitably put further pressure on salary rises in the sector.

“Our Jobs & Salary Index has shown remarkable growth in quarter two with impressive increases in national jobs of 6.3 per cent, locum jobs of 6.9 per cent and permanent jobs of 6.0 per cent,” he said.

“This showcases the expanding opportunities available to jobseekers and underlines the steady foundation of employment stability in Australia’s medical sector, despite all other industry sectors struggling with cost-of-living increases and a potential recession. This sector is literally recession-proof.”

“The federal budget’s recent interim increase in award wages for aged-care workers will be necessary to keep staff in this sector,” added Mr Codner. “This may be the reason for less demand in this area compared to others, which has certainly slowed down in comparison to Q1.”