The Canberra Hospital will be allowed to keep its status as a maternity training hospital for now, but it will be reviewed again in six months.
The Maternity Department was plagued by claims of bullying and had been at risk of losing its teaching accreditation unless things improved.
In response, ACT Health has hired a new clinical director and introduced several changes to improve the support available for young doctors.
Professor Michael Permezel from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said further work was needed to secure long-term accreditation.
“Our expectation is that by the time the next accreditation visit comes in six months time that many changes will already be in place,” he said.
“In Canberra Hospital’s case there were a number of complex training issues that needed to be addressed such as trainees obtaining an adequate number of procedures during their training, having appropriate time in ultrasound area, educational sessions and support for their research.
“Most of the issues were not related to patient care, but obviously if the training is good then ultimately the patient care is going to be better.”
The hospital has previously been warned if it fails an assessment this year, it will be stripped of its teaching credentials from the college.
A hospital committee has also been appointed to review each of the training concerns.
ACT Health director general Peggy Brown said the hospital was ensuring training doctors were provided with facilities in line with the college’s expectations.
“We are working very hard to meet all of the recommendations,” Dr Brown said.
“[We are doing] things like making sure that we can deliver the training experience that the college expects, such as ensuring that the registers get the appropriate exposure to gynaecology surgery and other specialist surgery.
“And [ensuring] that we have in place appropriate levels of supervision for them and appropriate accommodation, for example a room for them within the hospital that meets the college’s standards.”
The college’s next accreditation visit will be in October.