Labour Economics Office Queensland

ANZSCO 2541-11Queensland

MidwifeJune 2017

Department of Employment

Current labour market ratingRegional Shortage

Previous labour market rating(June 2016)Regional Shortage

Comments

While all metropolitan vacancies surveyed this year were filled, regional shortages continue to be evident for experienced midwives with both antenatal and post-natal experience.There is limited capacity in the regional health facilities to employ inexperienced new graduates and direct entry midwives.

Survey results

In this year’s survey, 75 per cent of vacancies were filled within six weeks of advertising, an increase of 25 percentage points over last year’s result.
Similarly to the last two years, all metropolitan vacancies were filled. The fill rate for regional vacancies increased from 31 per cent in 2015 to 70 per cent this year; however some regional employers were only able to fill their permanent positions by drawing from their pool of temporary and casual midwives.
On average, there were 5.9applicants per vacancy across the state compared with two applicants per vacancy in last year’s survey.
Around 49 per cent of applicants were qualified, of this; there was an average of 2.9 qualified applicants per vacancy.
Compared with last year, both metropolitan and regional vacancies attracted higher numbers of suitable applicants in this year’s survey. On average, there were 1.6 suitable applicants per metropolitan vacancy and 1.4 per regional vacancy.
Regional employers closer to the metropolitan area in the south east corner of the state attracted higher numbers of suitable applicants than employers in Central and North Queensland.
In this year’s survey,43 per cent of regional employers were unable to fill their vacancies and 14percent did not did not have any applicants at all.Some regional employers were unable to attract sufficient applicants for the number of positions available.
Many regional employers cited location as a primary reason for being unable to fill their vacancies with the issue increasing as distance from the State’s capital increases. In addition, employers cited poor labour market conditions with limited job opportunities for the partners of midwives who may have otherwise considered relocating for a regional position.
Other regional employers stated that vacancies were unfilled due to applicants withdrawing from the recruitment exercise or declining job offers for personal reasons or because they accepted another job.

Unsuitable applicants

Around 51 per cent of applicants were not qualified and a small number did not have current midwifery registration.
Of the qualified applicants across the state, 39 per cent were considered unsuitable, mainly due to lack of experience.
Employers advised that many unsuitable applicants were inexperienced or unsuited to working in small hospitals where both antenatal and post-natal experience is required.
A small number of applicants were unable to demonstrate relevant soft skills required by employers.

Demand and supply trends

Demand for midwives is dependent on birth rates, the figures from the Queensland Government shows that 62,227 births were registered in the State in 2016, a 0.22 per cent increase from 2015 (62,093).[1]
Formal entry to this profession is via the completion of a three-year Bachelor of Midwifery or, for registered nurses, completion of a postgraduate qualification in midwifery. All midwives must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.
Data from the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia indicates that at the end of March 2017there were 746midwivesregistered in Queensland, an increase of 18 per cent this year. The number of midwives holding joint registration as either a registered or enrolled nurse fell by around 1.5 per cent to 5789.[2]
Latest figures from the Department of Employmentand Training showthat there were 225students commencing undergraduate midwifery courses in 2015, a drop of approximately 20 per cent from 2014 numbers.The numberof nursescommencinga postgraduate midwifery qualificationin the same yearincreased from 39 in 2014 to 78 in 2015.[3]
The number of midwives graduating from undergraduate degrees decreased by almost fourpercent in 2015 (127)from 2014 figures (132). The number of nurses completing post-graduate midwifery qualifications in 2015was 30, down 32 per cent from the previous year (44).[4]
Data from theDepartment of Immigration and Border Protection shows that temporary skilled migration has decreased as a source of supply for this occupation since 2008-09. There have been five or fewer 457 visas granted each year for midwifery positions in Queensland from June 2013 to June 2017.[5]

Labour Economics Office Queensland

Department of Employment

[1]Queensland Government

[2]Nursing and Midwifery Board

[3]Department of Education and Training

[4]ibid

[5]Department of Immigration and Border Protection