Page110 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 2 December 2020
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Despite the difficulties that have been publicly reported, the number of trainees in the ACT Physician Training Network overall has grown year on year, with 58 trainees in the 2020 intake.
That really addresses some of the specific issues in relation to physician training but, as I mentioned earlier, it is really important to understand that this review was very specific about basic physician trainees and basic physician training, and the reasons for those specific exam results. It is not fair on our junior doctors, and it is not fair on Canberra Hospital, Calvary hospital or our broader public health services, to imply that those issues are broad based across the almost 600 junior doctors that work in Canberra Health Services.
More broadly, Mrs Jones’s motion does go to the issue of culture. I start by talking about that and indicate that we will be tabling a range of papers tomorrow that go to the broader systemic work that has been done across the ACT Health Directorate, Canberra Health Services and Calvary Public Hospital to respond to the culture review. But it is really important to also recognise the work that Canberra Health Services has been doing internally to improve its workplace culture, again recognising that some of this will take time to take effect but it is really important work.
Initiatives that are in place or currently underway include a CHS awards and recognition program that has been developed to recognise and acknowledge staff who embody Canberra Health Services vision and values. This is a vision and values that were developed by and with the staff of Canberra Health Services. It is their vision and values; they own it and they expect one another to live it. They have supported that with an identification of behaviours that they should expect from one other. The inaugural CEO award ceremony for the awards and recognition program was held on 19 November 2020 and by all accounts was extremely well received and a fantastic event.
Workplace resolution and support services, previously known as the Employee Advocate, has been fully integrated into Canberra Health Services business on a shared basis with the ACT Health Directorate. Canberra Health Services has introduced the consultative framework, with four committees in place covering all the workforce, along with forums being conducted with all relevant unions and regular one-on-one meetings between the chief executive officer, executive group management people and culture and the principal unions involved in the organisation.
Canberra Health Services has also established an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander steering group and staff network to lead relevant key initiatives in that space. Really importantly, that is recognising the importance of diversity across our health services, not just for the staff but also, as Mrs Jones has touched on, for patient outcomes in this space. It has established the CHS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumer reference group for this very reason. The aim of the reference group is to develop stronger partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. It was launched on 24 July. I met with the reference group, and that was a great privilege.
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