Page 2404 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 31 July 2018
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recommendations. They raised some serious issues. Some of those have already been addressed. Further ones will be addressed and, as is reflected in the estimates report, ACT Health will continue to work closely with the college and with important stakeholders, which includes ASMOF, and is confident that the training accreditation will return to an A grade in the next 12 months.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, why did your directorate fail to act on concerns raised about staff shortages, and their impact on inpatient care and on training, by radiology trainees when they raised them with the department in January and February of 2017?
MS FITZHARRIS: I will take the question on notice. I have frequent meetings with ASMOF, and I will also look back on those meetings and correspondence with them and see if they refer to the radiology department. From memory, it has not been a key feature of my very frequent discussions with ASMOF. Nonetheless, I will look back over that and take the question on notice.
MISS C BURCH: What actions have you taken to resolve the cultural issues in the radiology department?
MS FITZHARRIS: As I have mentioned, and as was discussed in the estimates committee and subsequent to that, there have been a number of issues relating to the working environment and the particular relationships between particular staff. These have been addressed immediately.
Mrs Dunne: It was not raised in estimates.
MS FITZHARRIS: This issue was discussed at the estimates committee. The Chief Medical Officer—
Opposition members interjecting—
MS FITZHARRIS: I said “and subsequent to the committee”. There have been issues discussed, and that includes addressing a number of the immediate issues. There is a collaborative approach underway within the radiology department, and also with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists, to ensure that steps are taken to achieve the A-grade accreditation for training over the next 12 months.
Canberra Hospital—radiology department
MR HANSON: My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Minister, during the health estimates hearing on 21 June this year, the Chief Medical Officer answered questions about the downgrade of the Canberra Hospital radiology department. The official referred to network issues but not to the problems with the negative environment or poor relationships within the department. When asked by the media on 23 July, the senior official claimed that ACT Health had not finalised its reply to the accreditation committee. Minister, did the Chief Medical Officer mislead the estimates committee by omitting those details on 21 June when answering questions about the downgrade of the radiology department?
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