Despite the ongoing expansion of Australia's health workforce, our health system is still not equipped to deliver appropriate and timely care to Australians, write Peter Brooks and Niki Ellis.

In early June 2005 the Council of Australian Governments meeting, the Prime Minister, Premiers and Chief Ministers acknowledged the need for health workforce reform. A report is expected from the Productivity Commission by the end of the year. My concern is that it will only be more of the same, more training the same way, and more employment the same way, when we really need root and branch change. We need to train and employ in quite new ways.