General surgical manpower, Victoria, Australia

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Surgical Workforce Planning
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Assessing general surgical practices in Victoria is crucial for future healthcare planning.
• Understanding the current surgeon-to-population ratio and workload is essential for service delivery.
• Identifying potential imbalances in surgical services ensures community needs are met.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a statewide profile of general surgical practices in Victoria.
• To analyze surgical activity and workforce needs for the next two decades.
• To determine if current surgical services meet the needs of both surgeons and the community.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire was distributed to 343 practicing general surgeons in Victoria.
• A response rate of 81.6% (280 surgeons) was achieved.
• Data analysis focused on surgeon workload, satisfaction, practice type, and training adequacy.

Main Results:

• The current general surgeon-to-population ratio in Victoria is deemed optimal.
• Surgeons report full occupation and long working hours, yet most are satisfied and do not feel overworked.
• While overall numbers are adequate, specific imbalances and concerns within surgical practices were identified.

Conclusions:

• Victoria's current general surgical manpower is sufficient, but future planning must address identified imbalances.
• Surgeons are highly occupied, indicating a need for efficient resource allocation.
• Existing surgical training programs appear insufficient to meet the projected demands of future general surgical needs.