Ahpra has advised that optometrists and other practitioners on the Pandemic Response Sub-Register can now opt in to extend their temporary registration to continue supporting the health system, as new registration data reveals further feminisation of the optometric workforce.
According to the regulator, 20,755 practitioners are registered on the pandemic response sub-register until 21 September 2022, with the latest data showing there were 35 optometrists on the list.
Along with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners, dental practitioners, diagnostic radiographers, medical practitioners, midwives, nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, podiatrists and psychologists, optometrists can now opt in to extend this registration to 21 September 2023 or apply to transition to the main register for ongoing registration.
Extending the registration of practitioners on the sub-register means they can keep supporting the health system as it continues to deal with increased healthcare demands brought about by COVID-19.
For example, during the COVID peak in 2021, these practitioners helped administer COVID-19 vaccine injections and performed other tasks.
Ahpra is contacting all practitioners on the sub-register before their temporary registration expires on 21 September 2022 about the options available to stay registered.
More information can be found here.
Latest optometry data
Meanwhile, the Optometry Board of Australia has released the latest optometry registration data, which now shows that females comprise 57% of the optometric workforce.
The total number of optometrists also continues to grow; during the reporting period 1 April 2022 to 30 June 2022, there were 6,500 optometrists registered, up from 6,288 from the same period last year.
There are now 3,745 (57.6%) female optometrists and 2,755 male optometrists (42.4%). Last year, 56.9% of optometrists were female, and 43.1% male.
The number of therapeutically-endorsed optometrists has also risen from 68% to 70.6% during the past year.
The figures show 100% of optometrists under the age of 25 are now endorsed, 99.7% between 25-29 years of age, 96.2% between 30-34, and 77.9% between 35-39, and gradually declining for each age group after that.
The largest cohort of optometrists overall is in the 25-29 age group, with 1,302 registered optometrists, followed by 30-34 (922), while 35-39 was the third largest cohort (693).
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