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Workforce related issues impact on almost every aspect of addiction prevention and treatment. In 2009, the Ministry of Health asked Matua Raki what the addiction workforce was expected to look like over the next 10-20 years. One of the catalysts for this project is the expected increase in demand for addiction services as a result of the Government’s Drivers of Crime initiative.
Forecasting is a key workforce planning function but one that has not been utilised in the addiction sector until now. A small team from Matua Raki, together with forecasting specialists from the Ministry of Health and DHBNZ, are developing a national addiction workforce forecasting model custom-made to fit the forecasting needs of the New Zealand addiction sector. A group of sector experts and stakeholders will also provide advice and support.
The potential to develop an innovative tool of this type will enable the sector to identify gaps in the current workforce and the related areas, such as skills, qualifications and supervision.
Information on clients’ access to addiction services suggests that significant waiting times exist. With the implementation of further alcohol and drug control measures, there will be significant increases in demand for treatment services. To meet anticipated future workforce demand, we need to ensure that the right people are available to provide the right services at the right time and location.
The development of a robust forecasting model and associated ongoing data collection process will enable the addiction sector to reliably forecast future workforce demand and will support workforce planning and development for the addiction sector, and contribute to improved client access to quality addiction services.
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