How to become a Ward Clerk
Also called: Admissions Clerk, Hospital Ward Clerk, Patient Liaison Officer
Records and processes information required for admitting and discharging hospital patients, and responds to telephone enquiries.
Main tasks
- Welcomes patients and visitors, and directs them to the appropriate person or area
- Prepares and updates patients' medical records and charts prior to admission
- Manages patient administrative information, including payments and insurance details
- Records patient movements, transfers and discharges, liaising with other hospital departments and patient transport services
- Schedules tests or procedures for patients and arranges follow up appointments
- Responds to telephone enquiries and complaints
- Collates all relevant administrative and patient documentation on the ward
- May perform other clerical tasks such as data entry, filing and word processing
Ways in
- TAFE and VET: Certificate II in Health Support Services (HLT23221); Certificate III in Health Services Assistance (HLT33115)
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Typical full-time pay: $63,908 a year
- About 190,100 people work in this job group now, and about 205,800 are projected by 2035. (+8.3%)
- Many tasks in this job could be automated by AI. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as high.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Ward Clerk?
Ways in include: Certificate II in Health Support Services; Certificate III in Health Services Assistance.
How much does a Ward Clerk earn in Australia?
Median full-time pay is $63,908 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Is a Ward Clerk a growing career in Australia?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 8% by 2035, from about 190,100 to about 205,800 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Do you need a degree to become a Ward Clerk?
Usually not. Only 16% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate II in Health Support Services; Certificate III in Health Services Assistance.
Will AI change the work of a Ward Clerk?
Many tasks in this job could be automated by AI. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as high.
Sources
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04
Updated 2026-10-04