DOCTORS are engaging in a childish and dangerous culture of bullying and infighting – putting patients at risk – at Adelaide’s largest hospital, a report finds.
THE government commissioned interstate experts to provide advice on the integration of cardiothoracic and general intensive care at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH).
A 12-month progress report tabled in parliament on Thursday highlights bullying between doctors, derogatory behaviour and “unprecedented” dysfunction presenting genuine risk to patient care. “Evidence presented to us raised serious concerns about clinical performance, organisational relationships … and overall levels of teamwork within the intensive care unit,” the report says. “In these reviewers’ experience … some of the levels of dysfunction are unprecedented and present a real risk to patient care and staff wellbeing.” A senior clinician was actively undermined by his peers in an attempt to make his position untenable, the report says. Nursing staff were meanwhile targeted in anonymous bullying notes. Health Minister Jack Snelling said the behaviour of the clinicians was childish, unacceptable and potentially dangerous. “I find this kind of abuse of authority over the hardest working patient carers reprehensible,” he told parliament. “This sort of behaviour wouldn’t be tolerated in a school yard and I won’t tolerate it in an ICU.” Mr Snelling said the government had appointed new heads of intensive care and cardiothoracic intensive care for the Central Adelaide Local Health Network. But there was still a long way to go to fix the problems identified in the report, he said. The report said the unit should strive towards a culture of respect, openness and professionalism but acknowledged that significant improvement was needed to meet those standards.