The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists wants the Government to declare a health workforce emergency.

It comes amid concerns the Omicron outbreak could further impact an already under-pressure health system.

The union estimates the country needs 1500 more hospital specialists, 1400 GPs and 12,000 nurses to match Australia per capita.

Executive director Sarah Dalton told Tim Dower even before Covid-19 there were significant delays in the hospital care system.

“We do not have enough. The new normal is trying to juggle a job that is too big for the number of workers that we have.”

LISTEN ABOVE