GLOBAL demand for skilled staff is putting pressure on the health sector in Australia - but many employers are ready to take up the challenge to attract the workers they need from offshore markets, according to a Vedior Asia Pacific Employment Trends Survey.

"International competition for skilled staff means Australian facilities are not just competing with the hospital or clinic down the road," says Gary Morrison, international operations manager of healthcare recruitment company Clinical One.

"More and more workers, particularly nurses, doctors and allied health professionals, choose to head overseas to pursue competing employment opportunities. This is putting tremendous pressure on the sector."

Increasing international competition for skilled labour is a global trend, as workforces become more mobile.

However, with their specialist skills in high demand, the survey found health professionals are more adept at the global game than workers from other sectors, viewing employment opportunities in an international context.

"A number of economies around the world are experiencing skills shortages across a range of industries, but the health sector seems to be more advanced in terms of people's willingness to travel for great jobs. Borders are no longer a barrier," says Mr Morrison.

"Health professionals have become a truly global resource, yet the challenge for countries is to
ensure that candidates are properly sourced, credentialed and reference-checked, so that inappropriate placement does not occur - and more importantly, candidates are placed in a position that suits their abilities and qualifications."

However, the survey shows the increasingly integrated global labour market cuts both ways.

"While employers are worried about losing their skilled staff off-shore, more than 40 per cent of the survey respondents from the health sector are themselves considering looking overseas to help meet demand. This is the real upside to the survey results," says Mr Morrison.

A large number of health professionals are choosing to move to Australia and New Zealand after the recent downsizing of the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK, which disenfranchised thousands of nurses.

Pressure on healthcare employers looks set to continue, with approximately half of the survey respondents from the healthcare sector indicating they will be looking to increase their staff numbers in the coming year.

"Today's tough employment conditions are here to stay. For the sector to function effectively in the long-term, employers are going to have to rethink the way that they attract and retain their staff," says Mr Morrison.

"It is all very well for organisations to jump on the international recruitment bandwagon, but given the necessary investment for such an undertaking for both employers and candidates, it is vitally important employers do not 'oversell' their offering when trying to attract candidates.