ANZSCO 2512-11
Western Australia
Medical Diagnostic Radiographer
March 2015
Current labour market rating
No Shortage
Previous labour market rating (February 2014)
No shortage
Comments
Demand for health services and those of Medical Diagnostic Radiographers has been relatively stable in
WA.
Survey results
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This survey found the proportion of vacancies filled was 82 per cent compared with 100 per cent of
vacancies filled in the February 2014 survey.
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There was an average of 2.9 applicants per surveyed vacancy, with an average of 1.7 applicants per
surveyed vacancy considered suitable by employers. In the previous survey there was an average of
6.2 applicants per surveyed vacancy with an average of 1.8 applicants per surveyed vacancy
considered suitable by employers.
All of the advertised vacancies were in the metropolitan area with a mix of employers across public
and private diagnostic and imaging operations.
Most employers advertised for experienced staff with skills across a variety of specialised medical
diagnostic radiography.
Employers were seeking qualified employees with Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency
(AHPRA) registration and also current licensing from the Radiological Council of WA.
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Unsuitable applicants
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Employers stated some applicants lacked general experience in the field, did not have experience
using specialised equipment or have in-depth knowledge of a particular modality of radiography
such as cardiac, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or angiographs.
Almost half the numbers of qualified applicants were deemed unsuitable by employers because
they lacked general experience in the field and had insufficient experience with using different types
of imaging equipment.
Demand and supply trends
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A number of factors may influence demand for the skills of Medical Diagnostic Radiographers
including population growth, advancements in medical technology, and a greater number of people
with illness and growth of an ageing population.
An increase in supply may be mitigated by government expenditure which is affected by the state of
the economy and the health budget.
Labour Economics Office Western Australia
Department of Employment
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At June 2014, WA continued to experience the highest rate of population growth in the nation with
a 2.6 per cent increase following a 3.6 per cent growth in the previous year. The national growth
rate for the same period was 1.7 per cent following a 1.8 per cent growth in the previous year1.
The WA Health Total Expense Limit for 2014-15 is $8.009 billion and includes key initiatives
including: metropolitan and regional infrastructure development; clinical service reconfiguration
and ICT development across the state2.
Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) registration for Medical Diagnostic
Radiographers in WA, at December 2014, was 10733 compared with 980 in December 2013.4
Department of Employment data shows an increase of about 48 per cent in the number of
vacancies advertised for Medical Imaging Professionals over the period of February 2014 to
February 20155.
Training for Medical Radiation Therapists is through either an undergraduate degree or a graduate
entry Masters in (the broader title of) Medical Radiation Science.
o Courses are accredited by the Australian Institute of Radiology. Registration with the Medical
Radiation Practice Board of Australia is required to practice6.
o This degree includes periods of professional clinical practice placements.
In WA to become qualified as a Medical Diagnostic Radiographer a student must complete a
Bachelor of Science (Medical Imaging Science) degree. Exact training numbers are not accurate for
this individual occupation as the training only details to the 4 digit ANZSCO.
1
ABS Cat. 3101 Australian Demographic Statistics (accessed 21 April 2014)
WA Health Funding and Policy Guidelines 2014-15 , Government Western Australia Department of Health
3 Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia, registrant data December 2014. (Accessed 31 March 2015)
4 Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia, registrant data December 2013. (Accessed 31 March 2015)
5 Department of Employment, Internet Vacancy Index, March 2015, 12 month moving average
6
Australian Institute of Radiography, Career in Radiation Therapy: How do I become a Radiation Therapist http://www.air.asn.au/careerradi.php (last
accessed 21 April 2015)
2
Labour Economics Office Western Australia
Department of Employment