New Zealand anaesthesia trainees and implications for the future workforce

Attempting to ensure an adequate anaesthesia workforce for New Zealand requires many variables to be taken into consideration. The difficulty lies in trying to predict and match the future needs of the population and the future needs of the workforce itself. This paper examines variables that affect anaesthesia trainees' decisions in regard to future work plans which will affect anaesthesia distribution and manpower in New Zealand, particularly in smaller hospitals. It is already apparent that with distribution problems and/or actual shortages, the gaps in workforce availability for any professional group tend to be in the smaller centres. All New Zealand anaesthesia trainees were sent a questionnaire in 2002, with 110 of 138 trainees responding (79.7%). It appears enough specialists are being trained, with 80% indicating a desire to remain in New Zealand and 13% stating Australia as their choice of destination. The influence of student debt or encouragement of overseas training experience did not appear to be important in their decisions. Having a rotation during training to smaller hospitals had a positive effect on attitudes to working in smaller hospitals as specialists. The recruitment of these future specialists into smaller hospitals also depends upon broader lifestyle choices. Selection of smaller hospitals for anaesthesia practice is encouraged by good financial incentives, adequate professional support, including support by junior doctors, access to ongoing professional development and inclusion into a wider rotation with a larger hospital.