This paper outlines the development of the physician assistant model in the United States, Britain and Canada and considers the possible application of the model to the Australian health system.

In March 2005, following a decision of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), the Australian Government requested the Productivity Commission to undertake a research study1. The aim of the study was to examine issues impacting on the health workforce, including the supply of, and demand for, health professionals, and propose solutions to ensure the continued...

This paper examines the many events that have occurred since 2001 that have had an impact on medical litigation. There have been numerous legislative changes in NSW, including an overhaul of health care and civil liability law. United Medical Protection (UMP), the principal medical defence organisation (MDO) in NSW, has entered provisional voluntary liquidation and...

The primary focus of this paper is to estimate future growth in the Australian dental labour force and subsequently model the future capacity of the dental labour force to supply dental visits in Australia. Projections to the year 2015 of the dentist, dental therapist, dental hygienist and dental prosthetist labour forces are presented.

Rural medical workforce shortage it is critical to have recruitment and retention strategies in place in NSW to suit the diversity of medical practitioners, male and female. During 2000 the NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) surveyed female and male general practitioners and female specialists working and residing in rural and remote NSW to determine if...