The 2022 census highlights a workforce under strain from high clinical demand, limited growth, and looming retirements. Key challenges include inequitable representation of Māori and Pasifika clinicians, declining subspecialty capacity, and risks of burnout. Coordinated national workforce planning, with a focus on recruitment, retention, equity, and flexible models of training and employment, will be essential to ensure sustainable radiation oncology services in NZ. This census therefore reinforces the urgent need for coordinated national workforce planning to safeguard the future of radiation oncology services in NZ.
Mitchell et al. (Fri,) studied this question.