Page 1789 - Week 05 - Thursday, 16 May 2019
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The panel delivered its interim report to me on 30 January 2019. It was subsequently released publicly on 1 February 2019. The final report was released publicly on 7 March 2019 and, as I said earlier, tabled here on 19 March 2019.
The key themes highlighted in the report indicate that staff members within the public health system have been subjected to inappropriate behaviours, including bullying and harassment, in the workplace; there are inefficient processes to manage complaints-handling; additional training is required to support management in dealing with inappropriate workplace practices; there is an inability to make timely decisions; some human resource practices are inefficient and inappropriate; historically there has been a lack of effective leadership and management throughout the ACT public health system; and there is a need for greater clinical engagement to ensure that the system can benefit from expert knowledge and input of individuals.
The review panel recognised in the report that, over the last 12 months, work has already begun to improve workplace culture. The panel also acknowledged the positive effect that this has had within the workplace.
This government response marks the formal endorsement of and commitment to implement the recommendations made by the independent panel. This implementation phase will officially take place over the next three years, but the ongoing work in ensuring that the ACT public health system is an excellent workplace will be enduring.
The government recognises the importance of working closely with staff and stakeholders to ensure that the recommendations are implemented in a way that drives the enduring change we need to see. Work towards establishing the implementation has already begun. The government has already established a strong governance framework to ensure that implementation of the recommendations made by the review panel is effective, efficient and accountable. The ACT Health Directorate, as system steward, will lead the response to ensure that a consistent, territory-wide approach is taken.
The government has ensured that there will be governance oversight at the highest level. The culture review oversight group will provide leadership and scrutiny of the implementation process. The inaugural meeting of the culture review oversight group was held on 28 March 2019, chaired by me, with the Minister for Mental Health as the deputy chair. It included key senior stakeholders and the senior executive leadership team of the public health system, in line with recommendation 18 of the final report of the independent review.
At this first meeting of the culture review oversight group, we spent time ensuring that the structures for the group would enable it to operate effectively. This included expanding the membership to include the deans of the faculties of health from the Australian National University and the University of Canberra, and also the presidents of the ACT chapters of ASMOF and the VMOA.
The membership of the oversight group as of today is Professor Russell Gruen, Dean, College of Health and Medicine ANU; Professor Michelle Lincoln, Executive Dean, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra; Mr Matthew Daniel, Branch Secretary,
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