Exercise physiology

  • ​Accredited exercise physiologists are university-qualified allied health professionals who prescribe, deliver, and adapt movement, physical activity, and exercise-based interventions to facilitate and optimise health status, function, recovery, and independence. This helps people participate in activities at home, school, work, and in the community.

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    Workforce characteristics for NSW Health exercise physiology workforce in 2040

    151
    Headcount

    27.8
    Work hours per week

    32.7
    Years average age

    3.4%
    Aboriginal workforce target

    ​Demand is expected to grow 1.4% (low demand scenario) to 1.5% (high demand scenario).


    Reasonable career opportunities

    ​Workforce modelling indicates the need to  grow the NSW exercise physiology workforce by around 1 to 3 new professionals per annum to meet community need in 2040 across both demand scenarios.


    Projected FTE growth for NSW Health exercise physiology workforce to 2040

    20212022202320242025202620272028202920302031203220332034203520362037203820392040
    High Demand50
    		53.854.855.956.957.95960.161.262.463.564.765.967.168.369.670.972.273.574.9
    Status Quo50.053.856.656.054.654.754.153.853.853.853.853.853.853.853.853.853.853.853.853.8
    Low Demand5053.854.655.456.25757.858.659.460.261.161.962.863.764.665.566.467.468.369.3

    Workforce characteristics for NSW Health exercise physiology workforce in 2021

    76
    Headcount

    25.7
    Work hours per week

    32.4
    Years average age

    72.4%
    Female

    0%
    Aged 60+

    0%
    Aboriginal

    Metropolitan Sydney

    53
    Headcount

    26
    Work hours per week

    31.1
    Years average age

    0%
    Aged 60+

    Non-Metropolitan Sydney

    21
    Headcount

    24.1
    Work hours per week

    35
    Years average age

    0%
    Aged 60+

    Exercise physiology junior entrant positions into NSW Health

    Year201720182019
    		20202021
    Graduates20347812

    Workforce distribution for NSW Health exercise physiology workforce in 2021

    The geographic distribution of the public workforce by local health district/network, by facility and per 100,000 population.

Legends

Per local health district

0 1-25 26-50 51-75 76-100 100+

Per 100,000 population

0 1-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 20+

Per facility

0 1-25 26-50 51-75 76-100 100+

Other networks

  • Sydney Children's Hospitals: 1 to 10 | 0 to 1 per 100,000
  • Enable NSW: 1 to 10 | 1 per 100,000
  • Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health: 1 to 10 | 5 to 10 per 100,000

  • Workforce considerations

    • Population demographics and increasing incidence of complex and chronic disease may increase demand for exercise physiology services.
    • Temporary funding initiatives (research grants and fundraising) or new funding that is focused on physical health will influence exercise physiology workforce movement gains (particularly in mental health and oncology).
    • This workforce will prioritise sustainable training pipelines, new graduates, and student educators to ensure future workforce is resourced, based on the needs of the community. An increased focus is needed on workforce service development roles and educator positions that will grow and retain the workforce.
    • Data available does not include unmet need and may not capture all specialty areas/clinics in which exercise physiologists work.
    • Interdistrict partnerships, particularly in rural and remote settings, may reduce fractionalisation of roles and is an enabler to workforce availability.

    Notes

    • Data included is limited to the workforce employed under the relevant health professional award.
    • Specialty health networks are not displayed geographically in the workforce distribution maps.
    • LHD/SHN may engage in sessional arrangements in selected circumstances.
    • Workforce that cannot be aligned to a physical location have been attributed to a pre-determined facility within each LHD/N. This may impact on Headcount shown at these facilities within the distribution map.
    • NSW Health does not make any representations or warranties whether expressed or implied with respect to the accuracy and completeness of the information contained in the fact sheet.

Current as at: Monday 29 May 2023
Contact page owner: Workforce Planning and Talent Development