Understanding the demographics, trends, and nuances of the rural primary health care workforce is integral to the equitable workforce distribution and health of rural communities.

As the designated Rural Workforce Agency (RWA) for NSW, RDN has developed and maintains an extensive rural primary health care workforce database, which includes data on General Practitioners (GPs), general practices, allied health and outreach services.

The database is informed by workforce surveys and through RDN operational workforce activities.

RDN uses workforce data to produce an annual Health Workforce Needs Assessment (HWNA) that informs RDN’s workforce planning activities, and can support data requests for research and publications, workforce planning, policy development and other purposes, subject to privacy, confidentiality and ethics considerations.

RDN also supports collaboration opportunities, contributions of evidence to the sector, and data linkage that contribute to improved rural health outcomes.