The Geographically-adjusted Index of Relative Supply (GIRS) is a measure developed by the AIHW to compare health workforce supply across small geographic areas. The GIRS takes the known workforce supply based in area and adjusts it for three other factors—land size, population dispersion, and the proximity of the population to the relevant service locations.
The GIRS score ranges from 0 to 8 for each geographic area, and can vary for different professions. Areas with lower GIRS scores are more likely to face workforce supply challenges than those with higher GIRS scores.
When compared with the distribution of the Indigenous population, the GIRS score can assess the extent to which Indigenous people live in areas with lower relative levels of workforce supply.
Interactive GIRS score maps of Australia are presented for GPs, dentists and midwives.