WORKFORCE PROJECTIONS

The current specialist to population ratio is far from adequate although the exact ratio depends on which part of the country is being considered. There are about 50 FTE postgraduate-qualified intensive care specialists active in New Zealand at present, with up to 18 FTE more non-intensive care trained specialists also active in intensive care medicine. Almost all of this latter group are anaesthetic specialists who are practising (often cross cover) in peripheral centres because there is an insufficient number of qualified intensive care specialists available to fill these positions.

At present there are about 50 intensive care trainees registered in New Zealand, although many are not currently working in ICUs or actively attempting to sit the ICU exam.