July 2023

Welcome to the latest edition of the 2023 On the Horizon newsletter from the Future Workforce Unit (FWU). On the Horizon provides a snapshot of the key trends and developments that have the potential to shape and impact our future workforce, workplace and ways of working.

On the Horizon is part of the Focus on the Future Workforce Initiative, which aims to support the health system to ensure a resilient and digitally enabled workforce that can adapt to the changes in the system caused by technology and other disruptions. By focusing on not just the now, but also the future, NSW Health can ensure that we meet the needs of the community now and into the future.

Please note that the opinions shared in On the Horizon are those of the respective authors, and may not reflect the views of FWU or NSW Health.

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this edition may contain images of people who have passed away.

July has been month of great conversations for us in the Future Workforce Unit. The recent launch of Future Health Podcast Series 4 has meant I've been listening to fascinating conversations about livesaving cars, robot lawyers and diagnostic t-shirts on my morning commute.

This season, our host Dr Louise Messara is joined by a fantastic line-up of guests to explore future proofing the health workforce in NSW. Eight episodes are currently available with a few to come in August. I encourage you to listen, share and subscribe to stay updated on future episodes. We've also started work on Future Health Podcast Series 5, and we would love to know what topics you're interested in exploring to next season. Please feel free to share your suggestions or any feedback on Series 4 to the team at MOH-WorkforceHorizonsScanning@health.nsw.gov.au.

I have also enjoyed thought-provoking conversations with colleagues in Broken Hill at a Futures Muster this month, where we explored the potential impacts of global megatrends on the health workforce in FWLHD. Some of the key themes that emerged from the discussion included climate impacts on staff wellbeing and safety, inequity in healthcare access, and developing technology and innovation for the rural health context. 

In our consultation for the NSW Health Megatrends Report 2023, we've also been hearing valuable insights on the future of work in NSW Health from some of our strategic leaders and futures thinkers. I look forward to sharing these with you when we publish the Report later this year.

In this month's edition of On the Horizon, I hope to continue these curious conversations as we explore future workforce trends including flexible work, future clinical teams and tertiary education in rural, regional and remote areas. I encourage you to use the questions included to prompt further conversation on what these trends could mean in the NSW Health context.

- Tamara Lee 

Director, Future Workforce

According to new research from Deloitte's Centre for Health Solutions, poor work-life balance is a key driver of job dissatisfaction for healthcare workers and that by improving flexibility and working patterns for clinicians, both the quality of care and staff wellbeing are improved. These findings are included in Deloitte's Time to Change: Sustaining the UK's clinical workforce report, which argues that a wide range of flexible working options are available, however "flexible working can only operate successfully if there is an effective approach to managing temporary staffing vacancies caused by fluctuations in activity levels and short-term staff absences."

Read more on this trend:

How might offer flexible work to both clinical and non-clinical staff while ensuring patient safety and delivering high-quality care? What new flexible working arrangements that have been successfully implemented internationally that have not yet been explored in NSW Health?

Future disruptions, changing consumer expectations and technological advancements will require health systems to adapt, and may include the creation of new health professions, the evolution of current professions and the transformation of clinical teams.

The Clinician of the Future Report 2022 argues that "the clinician of the future, like today's clinician, will be knowledgeable and skilled across a range of competencies, from clinical to digital. But the way clinicians work and the demands on them are likely to look different into the future." The report imagines the clinician of the future from five perspectives, highlighting different aspects of their roles and the healthcare systems in which they might be working in 10 years' time. 

In a recent report, NHS Health Education England outlines a vision of what the NHS, patients and the public require from future doctors within a transformed multi-professional team. The Future Doctor Programme: A co-created vision for the future clinical team report explores the unique characteristics of future doctors within future clinical teams, alongside eight key themes to help prioritise the reform of medical education and training. 

Read more on this trend:

How might health professions and clinical teams in NSW evolve in the next 10 years to address future challenges and meet the needs of our future patients? 

The National Regional, Rural and Remote Tertiary Education Report found that, compared with their metropolitan peers, individuals from regional, rural and remote communities are less than half as likely to gain a university qualification by the time they are 35 years old. The report identifies key issues such as lack of opportunity, access and choice in rural tertiary education, insufficient student support, and regional development as key barriers to tertiary education participation in regional, rural and remote areas.

In its report, A student-centred approach: understanding higher education pathways through co-design, the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) argues that "these discrepancies continue despite sustained research and significant attention from educators and government bodies." The report outlines findings and recommendations from participatory research across students, carers and school staff, focusing on motivations and barriers for students, and resources to support interventions and higher education pathways.

Read more on this trend:

How might addressing the barriers to tertiary education in rural areas positively impact the overall health outcomes and healthcare delivery in underserved regions? What strategies or initiatives could be implemented to bridge the gap in educational opportunities and encourage more students from rural areas to pursue careers in healthcare?

Future Health is a podcast from NSW Health about he future ways we will work, the work we will do and the impact of technology and scientific innovation on the future of healthcare. Future Health Series 4 has launched, with brand new episodes available now. This season, Dr Louise Messara is joined by a fantastic line-up of guests to discuss the future of work in healthcare, exploring topics that range from livesaving cars, robot lawyers and diagnostic t-shirts.

This month, we're putting the spotlight on our conversation with Dr Noushin Nasiri, a leading researcher in nanotechnology. In this episode, Dr Nasiri shares her insights into the impact of nanotechnology on the way we detect and manage illness in the very near future.

Listen to our conversation with Dr Noushin Nasiri here.

Don't forget to subscribe to the Future Health podcast so you don't miss a thing:

While every effort is taken to validate the currency and accuracy of the content presented in the newsletter, NSW Health does not make any representations and  warranties with respect to the accuracy and completeness of the information contained herein. The content is represented as information only and readers should undertake their own research and enquires with respect to the specific details and information contained in this newsletter.

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