Mental health and addiction workforce: 2022 primary, community, and secondary healthcare services

This report summarises available information about the publicly funded health workforce in services for people with mental health challenges or problematic substance use. It combines information about the workforce delivering Access and Choice Programme services in primary healthcare, with the alcohol and drug, forensic, and mental health workforce for children and adults in community and secondary healthcare settings.

Overall, the workforce is estimated to include over 15,500 FTE positions (employed and vacant) with a vacancy rate of 11 percent. Information is summarised by:

• role groups ( support workers; registered health professionals; medical practitioners; and advisors, managers, and administrators)
• healthcare setting (primary, community, and secondary)
• region
• services delivered eg alcohol and drug, mental health, forensic
• services dedicated to specific age groups eg child and adolescents, adults.