Motivations, Barriers and Enablers for the Sexual Assault Medical Workforce in NSW, Australia

This report describes the outcomes of a research study that examined the experiences of people who currently or previously have worked as medical and forensic examiners in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The study aimed to understand the motivations, barriers, and enablers for people to work as medical and forensic examiners in NSW Health Sexual Assault Services (SAS). It explored all stages of work engagement, from recruitment to commencing work, remaining at work, and because people who leave the workforce may be an important source of information about the problems within it, leaving the workforce. The study makes recommendations to improve the number of examiners in the workforce, the retention of trained examiners, and as a result, improve the experiences of those accessing the service.