Diphtheria outbreak highlights need for better nursing workforce

The most severe diphtheria outbreak in more than 30 years underscores the urgent need for stronger workforce planning to ensure proper health coverage across all remote areas of Australia, the Australian College of Nursing has said.

ACN acting chief executive Dr Zach Byfield said persistent difficulties filling nursing and GP positions in remote and regional Australia were directly undermining the country’s ability to prevent and respond to outbreaks like this one.

“Our health and workforce challenges are such that we cannot afford to continue to fly without a proper map,” Dr Byfield said.

“Now, more than ever, we need strong, secure plans to make sure every part of Australia has proper health coverage.”

ACN acting chief executive Dr Zach Byfield. Photo: Pam Hutchinson

Central Australian health leaders have highlighted the ongoing struggle to fill nursing and GP positions in regional and remote parts of Australia, which is making it increasingly difficult to meet vaccination coverage targets.

ACN is calling for the National Nursing Workforce Strategy to be released without further delay, to ensure proper planning and workforce distribution across the country.

Dr Byfield said reform must also enable health professionals to work to their full scope of practice.

“We need funding reform that enables nurses to lead vaccination clinics where and when they are needed. Nurses are highly skilled, dedicated professionals, and we need to make the most of their expertise.”

While vaccine hesitancy and pandemic fatigue remain factors in immunisation coverage, ACN said access was a far greater barrier in many communities.

“We need to make vaccines as accessible as possible to ensure every Australian, no matter where they live, is protected,” Dr Byfield said.