NEUROLOGY Workforce data
Neurologists prevent, diagnose and treat conditions that affect the brain, spine, nerves and muscles.
Neurological disorders are the leading cause of disability and second highest cause of death. One in three people now suffer from a neurological disorder worldwide. It is predicted that neurological disease will be the biggest cause of death in New Zealand by 2040.
New Zealand does not have enough neurologists to keep up with the increase in demand for the diagnosis and treatment of conditions such as Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and stroke. The number of neurologists per head of population in New Zealand ranks well below other high-income countries, and demand for services continues to significantly exceed supply.
Neurological disorders are the leading cause of disability and second highest cause of death. One in three people now suffer from a neurological disorder worldwide. It is predicted that neurological disease will be the biggest cause of death in New Zealand by 2040.
New Zealand does not have enough neurologists to keep up with the increase in demand for the diagnosis and treatment of conditions such as Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and stroke. The number of neurologists per head of population in New Zealand ranks well below other high-income countries, and demand for services continues to significantly exceed supply.
In 2024 there were 83 neurologists working in New Zealand across the public and private sectors, providing 59 full-time equivalents adult neurologists and 8.3 full-time equivalent paediatric neurologists.
The combined individual adult neurologists equate to one neurologist per 74,000 people. Australia has one neurologist per 41,000 people.
The shortage of neurologists means only one in five patients with chronic neurologic disease are regularly reviewed by a neurologist.
If current training, recruitment, retention and practice patterns persist, projections indicate workforce shortages will continue to worsen over time.
The research paper, Aotearoa New Zealand’s Neurologist Workforce: A 2024 Analysis of Demand, Supply and Projections, is published in BMJ Neurology Open, read the article here.
Images reproduced with permission of Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand. You can view Prof Anna Ranta's presentation here.