Trends in Australia’s physiotherapy workforce: changes and future implications

Introduction Physiotherapists play a vital role in managing and rehabilitating patients across the lifespan who suffer from musculoskeletal diseases and broader health conditions. Yet, there are current and anticipated shortages of physiotherapists being reported in several areas of healthcare where specialized skills are required.Objective The objective of this study was to examine Australia’s physiotherapy workforce, describing the demographic profile and trend of the workforce between 2013 and 2023, workforce distribution by state and rurality, workforce comparison between 2013 and 2023, and predictors of practicing in regional, rural, and remote locations in 2023.Methods The National Health Workforce Dataset (NHWDS) was analyzed over an 11-year period. Descriptive statistics were used to describe demographic characteristics. Multinomial regression analysis was used to assess associations between demographic characteristics and rural and remote practice.Results Nationally, the number of physiotherapists increased from 21,046 in 2013 to 35,889 in 2023, a 70.5% increase, with a less‑than‑1% change in the distribution of the workforce to rural and remote areas. In 2023, 22,290 (62.1%) of physiotherapists were female, and 3,652 (10.7%) obtained their primary qualification overseas. In 2023, males were 15% less likely to practice in regional centers (vs metropolitan) compared to females [0.85 (0.78–0.92), p < .001]; also, males were less likely to practice in large, medium, and small rural towns as well as remote and very remote areas [0.73 (0.58–0.93), p = .009] compared to females. Physiotherapists aged 45–99 years were more likely to practice in large rural towns; however, they were less likely to practice in remote and very remote areas than those aged 20–34 years. Indigenous physiotherapists were 85% more likely to practice in regional centers [1.85 (1.31–2.61), p < .001] and across large, medium, and small rural towns as well as in remote and very remote areas compared to metropolitan regions, respectively.Conclusion Analysis of the NHWDS over an 11-year period suggests an ongoing maldistribution of the physiotherapy workforce, with 81.0% practicing in a metropolitan area in 2023. Males were significantly less likely to practice outside metropolitan areas across all locations, whereas Indigenous physiotherapists were significantly more likely to practice outside metropolitan areas across all locations. Strategies focusing on education practices, incentives, and support that would make rural and remote practice more attractive for the workforce are required.