Our Regional and Rural Workforce Strategy 2026-2028
The strategy reinforces ANZCA's commitment to a sustainable, well-distributed specialist workforce and equitable access to care via 20 priority actions.
We have released our new ANZCA Regional and Rural Workforce Strategy 2026-2028 , reaffirming the college's commitment to improving access to anaesthesia, pain medicine and perioperative medicine services for regional, rural and remote communities across Australia and New Zealand.
Building on ANZCA's inaugural 2021 strategy, the updated strategy outlines 20 priority areas focused on addressing workforce maldistribution and strengthening the specialist medical workforce outside metropolitan centres. The strategy is guided by four key pillars: Plan, Select, Train, and Support and Retain, highlighted below.
The college recognises that access to high-quality medical care should not depend on where a person lives, as well as the need for coordinated action, sustained investment and strong partnerships across the health system.
The strategy also highlights the college's significant achievements since 2021, including establishing the Rural Generalist Anaesthesia Training Program, continued growth of Specialist Training Program (STP) funded training places and support projects, implementing rurally based training pathways and rotations, expanded pain medicine training opportunities, and targeted advocacy and professional development resources to support regional and rural workforce growth.
The ANZCA Regional and Rural Workforce Strategy 2026-2028 will guide the college's regional and rural workforce activities over the next three years and support ongoing collaboration with governments, health services, medical colleges and communities to improve health equity and workforce sustainability.
