SA IMET

What are areas of need?

What is an area of need:  Commonwealth definition

An Area of Need (AON) is any location in which there is a lack of specific medical practitioners or where there are medical positions that remain unfilled even after recruitment efforts have taken place over a period of time. Area of Need applies to both public and private sector positions and most International Medical Graduates are required to work in an Area of Need when they first come to Australia. For more information go to Doctor Connect.

Unlike the Districts of Workforce Shortage, which are determined by the Australian Government, Areas of Need are determined by the State and Territory Governments and methods of defining them vary.

Area of need: South Australia

Clause 67, of Schedule 2 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (South Australia) Act 2010, outlines the requirements of limited registration for area of need. The following subsections are of particular relevance:

  1. Subsection (1) – An individual may apply for limited registration to enable the individual to practise a health profession in an area of need decided by the responsible Minister under subsection (5).
  2. Subsection (2) – The individual is qualified for the limited registration applied for if the National Board is satisfied the individual's qualifications and experience are relevant to, and suitable for, the practice of the profession in the area of need.
  3. Subsection (3) – The National Board must consider the application but is not required to register the individual merely because there is an area of need.
  4. Subsection (5) – A responsible Minister for a participating jurisdiction may decide there is an area of need for health services in the jurisdiction, or part of the jurisdiction, if the Minister considers there are insufficient health practitioners practising in a particular health profession in the jurisdiction or the part of the jurisdiction to provides services that meet the needs of people living in the jurisdiction or the part of the jurisdiction.
  5. Subsection (6) – If the responsible Minister decides there is an area of need under subsection (5), the responsible Minister must give the National Board established for the health profession written notice of the decision.
  6. Subsection (7) – A responsible Minister may delegate the Minister's power under this section to an appropriately qualified person.

Applicants are expected to be able to meet/demonstrate the following criteria:

  1. A genuine vacancy exists;
  2. That the provision of medical services would fall below an acceptable level if the vacancy was not filled; and
  3. That the market has been tested. The Australian medical community needs to have had the vacancy brought to their attention (eg state, national and/or relevant specialty advertising). SA IMET and SA Health must be satisfied that there is no appropriately qualified Australian trained medical practitioner to appoint to the position.