ANZSCO 2512-11
Medical Diagnostic Radiographer
Victoria
March 2015
Current labour market rating
Regional Shortage
Metropolitan recruitment difficulty
Previous labour market rating (March 2014)
No Shortage
Comments
Whilst the majority of the metropolitan vacancies were filled, these were largely junior positions and
Melbourne based employers noted considerable difficultly in recruiting for senior and/or highly
specialised positions. A regional shortage was recorded on the bases that over one third of the regional
positions surveyed were not filled.
Survey results
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The Department of Employment Survey of Employers who have Recently Advertised (SERA) found
that 67 per cent of surveyed radiographer vacancies were filled from an average of 4.8 applicants
and 1.4 suitable applicants per vacancy:
o In 2014, the survey found that 75 per cent of positions were filled from an average of 2.1
suitable applicants per vacancy.
o Similarly, in 2013, 75 per cent of advertised positions were filled from 2.3 suitable applicants
per vacancy.
There was some disparity noted between the recruitment experiences of metropolitan and regional
employers:
o In metropolitan areas, whilst 80 per cent of vacancies were filled from an average of 7.8
applicants and 1.8 suitable applicants, these were generally junior position and employers
consistently raised concerns around their difficultly in recruiting for more senior roles.
Similarly, recruiting for specialist roles in fields such as lithotripsy and computed tomography
(CT scans) were noted as being particularly challenging and invariably involved on the job
training due to a lack of suitably experienced applicants.
o 57 per cent of regional vacancies remained unfilled (from an average of 2.7 applicants and 1.1
suitable applicants per vacancy). Wherever possible, regional employers reported that they
often compromised on their preferred level of experience in order to overcome the difficultly
of attracting candidates to their location and commonly took on new graduates. One regional
employer had a rotation system with a metropolitan hospital which was assisting them in
attracting staff.
Vacancies were surveyed from a range of general imaging centres, specialist clinical centres and
hospitals across various metropolitan and regional locations.
Labour Economics Office Victoria
Department of Employment
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Employers were seeking qualified radiographers with the appropriate registration from the
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and suitable candidates were expected to
have relevant experience in areas such as General X-Ray, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), CT
scans and mammography. Additional requirements such as professional indemnity insurance and
working with children and police checks were sometimes required.
Employers regarded candidates with professional, friendly interpersonal skills and a strong patient
focus as highly desirable. Applicants were also expected to be well groomed, highly motivated,
possess strong clinical knowledge and have the ability to work well under pressure (both
autonomously and as part of a team).
Employers noted a trend for new graduates to openly acknowledge that that they did not intend to
remain in the radiographer profession but rather, they intended to use their radiography
qualification as a stepping stone to another career. Employers believed this was contributing to the
shortage of more experienced, senior and specialised staff.
Those vacancies which were unfilled (the majority of which were located in regional areas) were all
due to a lack of suitably experienced applicants.
Unsuitable applicants
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Whilst 98 per cent of applicants were qualified, 70 per cent of qualified applicants were found to be
unsuitable. The primary reason candidates were found to be unsuitable was a lack of relevant
experience.
Employers also noted that the absence of the desired personality and employability attributes such
as a strong work ethic and good communication skills also counted against a candidate’s suitability.
Similarly, new graduates were negatively impacted if they had not secured a reputable work
experience placement and several employers noted that graduates generally required considerable
on the job training to attain the necessary clinical standards.
Demand and Supply
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Radiography is a specialisation under the broader professional area of medical imaging
professionals. To work as a medical diagnostic radiographer in Victoria you generally study the
science of medical radiation at university, either at an undergraduate or graduate level and you
must be registered with the Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia.
From December 2013 to December 2014, the number of registered general medical radiation
practitioners in Victoria increased by 5.8 per cent. The number of provisional registered medical
radiation practitioners (those undertaking a supervised practice internship in Victoria) decreased by
4.3 per cent from December 2013 to December 2014.1
Supply to this occupation continues to be predominantly domestic with an annual average of less
than ten 457 visas granted from 2010 to 2015.2
1
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia, Medical Radiation
Practitioner Registration Data, December 2012, 2013 and 2014
2
Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Subclass 457 visas granted, December 2014
Labour Economics Office Victoria
Department of Employment
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The increased demand for imaging services in Victoria is due to a range of factors including the
ageing and growing population and the increasing prevalence of chronic disease. In 2014:
o Services processed in Victoria under the Diagnostic Imaging Services classification of the
Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) for computerised tomography (CT scans) and Diagnostic
Radiology increased by 5.3 per cent from 2013 to 2014. This was 12 per cent higher than the
annual average of the previous five years (2009-13).3
o The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) services processed by Victoria and Tasmania under the
Diagnostic Imaging Services classification of the Medicare Benefits Schedule increased by 29.2
per cent from 2013 to 2014 (separate information for Victoria and Tasmania not available), a
61.6 per cent increase when compared to the annual average of the previous five years (200913).4
3
Australian Government Department of Human Services, MBS Group Statistics Reports; Category 5 - Diagnostic Imaging
Services (computerised tomography and diagnostic radiology services, Group I2 and Group I3), 2008 to 2014
4
Australian Government Department of Human Services, MBS Group Statistics Reports; Category 5 - Diagnostic Imaging
Services (Magnetic resonance imaging, Group I5), 2008 to 2014
Labour Economics Office Victoria
Department of Employment