Under pressure: ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher. Photo: Andrew Meares
Chief Minister Katy Gallagher has defended her handling of ongoing problems in the Canberra Hospital’s maternity unit and paid tribute to the head of obstetrics and gynaecology who resigned last week.
Facing continuing criticism of cultural problems and workplace bullying in the unit from Opposition Leader Jeremy Hanson, Ms Gallagher rejected calls that she should resign her role as ACT Health Minister.
On Friday, Health Director-General Peggy Brown said Steven Adair, the hospital’s clinical director for obstetrics and gynaecology, had resigned and would step down at the end of the year.
The resignation came as reports in the The Canberra Times detailed a leaked report warning mismanagement and long-running cultural problems in the unit have put the health of patients at risk.
The report, prepared by The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, considered the training program run from the unit.
Cultural, staffing and management problems have persisted since at least 2010, it said.
In September, accreditation for the training problem was granted for six months, the shortest possible accreditation period awarded by the professional standards body.
Ms Gallagher told the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday all positions in the unit had been filled for the 2015 training year.
Two senior registrars have been recruited, where previously there has been only one. In addition, two unaccredited registrars and four senior resident medical officers will work in the unit next year.
“Support is being provided to those who have come forward expressing concerns around stress and the Canberra Hospital is working with Calvary and Queanbeyan hospitals to look at ways to better manage demand for birthing services across the ACT and region,” Ms Gallagher said.
“There certainly has been an issue this year, with Calvary referring numbers of women to Canberra Hospital, which has compounded the demand and we are negotiating with them for those women to be managed appropriately and safely at Calvary, as they can be.”
Dr Adair would continue in the department as a senior clinician, Ms Gallagher said.
“I do thank him for his leadership over the past four years and also the decision that he has taken to stand aside while some of these issues are being worked through,” she said.
“He is a leading clinician and Canberra is lucky to have him at Canberra Hospital, offering those skills to women and children across the region.”
Ms Gallagher will make public by December 5 a report on actions taken in the unit.
Mr Hanson moved a private members bill calling on Ms Gallagher to release the training accreditation report in full and outline her actions to address the problems.
The government will not release the report.
“This is the unit the minister has said she is going to fix,” Mr Hanson said. “This is the unit we have raised repeated concerns about and this is the unit where Katy Gallagher has said ‘it’s just doctor politics’.
“This minister needs to assure the assembly and the community that she is going to fix this problem. If she cannot provide that assurance, then it is time to step aside.”