Healthcare workforce
Every day, health professionals across Northern Sydney provide trusted care and support to our community.
But demand is increasing, patient needs are becoming more complex, and providers are managing growing operational and financial pressures. Recruitment and retention challenges, administrative burden also affecting the sustainability of primary care.
A strong primary care workforce is essential to ensuring people can access the right care, in the right place, at the right time. The role of Sydney North Health Network is to listen to local needs, strengthen capability, support practices and providers, commission and connect services, build partnerships, and advocate for a sustainable primary care system.
Shaping the future of primary care in Northern Sydney together
The Healthcare Workforce Framework 2026–2029 sets a shared direction for building a more sustainable, capable and connected workforce across Northern Sydney. It is also an invitation to keep listening and acting with the people delivering care.
The framework gives SNHN a practical foundation to work with health professionals, services, partners and communities on targeted workforce support.
The framework is informed by local workforce data and feedback from health professionals across Northern Sydney, including clear messages about what is making care harder and what could help.
We have heard that:
- Recruitment, retention, workload, time pressure and administrative burden are affecting workforce sustainability and wellbeing.
- Financial pressures can limit investment in development, new roles and service improvement.
- Stronger networks, multidisciplinary models, practical technology, career pathways, fair recognition and wellbeing support can help people stay and work to their full scope.
Health professionals understand these pressures firsthand and hold many of the practical ideas that can strengthen care across the region.
This framework is not the final word. It is an invitation to keep listening, learning and acting together.
The Healthcare Workforce Framework focuses on four connected priorities.
- Workforce supply and retention
Supporting a strong pipeline of health professionals and creating the conditions that help people build sustainable careers in primary care.
- Workforce capability and capacity
Providing education, professional development, digital enablement and practical support that help health professionals respond to changing community needs.
- Provider wellbeing
Recognising that the sustainability of primary care depends on supporting the people delivering it.
- Partnerships and system integration
Bringing professions, services and sectors together to strengthen multidisciplinary, coordinated and person-centred care.
Sydney North Health Network’s role is to listen, convene and enable.
We will bring people together, share workforce intelligence and support practical initiatives that respond to local needs across education, wellbeing, digital capability, workforce planning, quality improvement and more integrated models of care.
The campaign will progress through four stages.
We are listening
We will continue to engage health professionals through workforce questions and surveys, visits to practices and services, advisory groups, events and our Clinical Council.
We want to hear:
- What workforce pressure looks like in your profession, practice or service
- What is helping, where support is needed and what ideas should be explored across the region
We will learn and connect
Our learning series, multidisciplinary events and professional development program will support capability, peer connection and practical workforce wellbeing.
Activity will include workforce wellbeing, digital health, quality improvement, emergency preparedness and profession-specific learning and support.
We will show what works
Health professionals and services across Northern Sydney are already finding ways to strengthen teams, improve care and respond to workforce pressure.
We will share local examples so others can learn from them and adapt practical ideas in their own settings.
We will shape what comes next
The campaign will bring workforce insights, local experience and practical solutions together through the SNHN symposium.
The symposium will bring workforce insights, local experience and practical solutions together, then report back to the sector on key themes, learning and next steps.
Check our education events page regularly in the coming months for updates on our 2027 symposium and other opportunities.
Read – Explore the evidence and actions in the full Healthcare Workforce Framework 2026–2029.
Learn and connect – Explore education events and opportunities to connect with colleagues across the region.
Share what works – Tell us about an idea you’ve implemented that could benefit others across Northern Sydney.
Coming soon – Check our healthcare workforce page to:
- find updates on our 2027 health professionals’ symposium (including opportunities to contribute to the program)
- complete a poll about the workforce pressures you are experiencing and what Northern Sydney should prioritise.
“A sustainable primary care workforce is fundamental to the health of our community. This framework reflects what we have heard so far, but it is only the beginning. We will continue listening, bringing people together and supporting practical action shaped by those delivering and receiving care across the Northern Sydney region.”
Jacqui Emery | CEO, Sydney North Health Network