Australia’s medical watchdog has mobilised an unprecedented pandemic sub-register to get more than 40,000 retired doctors, nurses, midwives and pharmacists back into the healthcare system to join the coronavirus resistance.

The scheme comes as medical school graduates apply for their practitioner registration in droves and final-year students have been asked to express interest in entering hospitals early.

The pandemic sub-register will enable recently retired and non-practising healthcare workers to return to hospitals treating increasingly numbers of COVID-19 patients. Credit:Jason South

From Monday, 4800 medicos, 13,000 nurses, 2400 midwives and 2200 pharmacists who retired or moved to a non-practising registration in the past three years will be automatically listed on the sub-register and able to return to the healthcare system.

Physiotherapists, radiographers and other allied health workers are expected to join the cavalry in the near future to help care for COVID-19 patients, or work in other sections of the sector to free up their colleagues who can.