The Australian Government is calling on retired, part-time and under-employed health care workers to lend a hand to support the health workforce and the Australian community.
We will match your skills and preferences with suitable services, prioritising sectors and communities that need help most, across health care, aged care and Indigenous health.
We are making it as easy as possible for you to work in health and aged care by:
- cutting red tape.
- fast tracking recruitment processes.
- helping people refresh their skills in areas such as PPE and infection control.
You can put your skills and passion to work, and help contribute to managing the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Before you complete the expression of interest (EOI) you should ensure you are eligible to apply.
Minimum requirements
Professional registration
As a minimum you need to be registered in your health profession. This includes people on Ahpra's pandemic subregister.
If you are unsure of your registration status you can check using Ahpra's registration checker. Take note of your registration number.
Up to date with COVID-19 vaccination
For placement, all applicants need to be up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations in line with the requirements of the state or territory in which they wish to practise.
What information we need from you
To provide the best opportunity to match you with the most appropriate role there are a few things we need to know.
There are some questions about the role you had when you last worked, or if you are still working. If you are working part time but considering doing some additional hours to assist with the pandemic response then you can indicate your current role. We also ask how long since you worked in that role.
We ask some questions about your preferred area of practice to allow us to identify people with recent clinical practice. We'll ask further questions on specialty practice in later recruitment stages.
The question on COVID-19 vaccination training is particularly relevant for those with an interest in vaccinating and for some roles in primary care. It is not requirement for many other roles.
You will find some questions about National Police and Working with Children (or equivalent) checks. Not every role requires both of these but if they are required, knowing your status will help us to match practitioners with relevant checks to settings where they are most needed.
Nominating where and how you would like to work
There are opportunities across all sectors of the health and aged care system. Many people may not be able to commit to shift work or more than a limited number of hours per week - we ask you for your preferences and availability. Others may not be able to travel very far and again you are asked to tell us what you can do.
Aged care
Aged care has a variety of roles that can be filled by health professionals with a current focus on registered nurses. If you do not feel able to do clinical work there are other opportunities in aged care that will utilise your knowledge and skills.
Indigenous health
Opportunities are available in urban, regional, rural and remote areas. While it can be an advantage to have previously worked in Indigenous Health it is not a requirement.
Primary health care, vaccination clinics and virtual care
We need staff in all these areas. To work in vaccinations you will require evidence of having completed vaccination training. This may also be useful for some primary health care settings. One of the positives from the COVID-19 pandemic has been the growth in virtual care. As an increasing percentage of the population is cared for at home, including people with COVID-19, there has and continues to be growth in virtual services. Care in some of these areas can even be done from your own home.
Regional, rural and remote
Some applicants may be prepared to travel to regional, rural or remote areas from their current location. To work in remote areas previous experience will be a considerable advantage. If you are unsure about your suitability CRANAplus can provide you with further guidance.
Submitting your EOI
Your EOI will be reviewed to identify potential locations for your contribution. Your EOI will then be forwarded to either an agency or organisation to link you with services requesting staff. The agency will then contact you to discuss with you the available options and requirements for the relevant role.
Learn more about Ahpra's pandemic subregister.
