The national health regulator pleaded with Victoria’s doctors and nurses to report their serious concerns in future to avoid another Bacchus Marsh hospital scandal. 

Victoria’s health practitioners are less likely to blow the whistle on serious health concerns than medical staff in other states. 

“If we are not told about concerns, we are not able to do our job,” said Martin Fletcher, the chief executive of the Australian Health Practitioners Regulator Agency, at a press conference in Melbourne today. 

In 2013-2014, the rate of mandatory reporting in Victoria was  considerably lower than the national average – 11.8 mandatory reports per 10,000 registered practitioners, compared with a national rate of 18.9 per 10,000 practitioners, the agency said. 

The agency has been criticised by Health Minister Jill Hennessy for failing to notify the health department during its 28-month investigation of a complaint against disgraced Bacchus Marsh obstetrician Surinder Parhar. 

Last Friday, the regulator announced it would now investigate a number of doctors and nurses at Djerriwarrh Health Services over revelations seven baby deaths at the hospital in two years could have been avoided.  

The investigation will focus on an undisclosed number of doctors and nurses at Bacchus Marsh hospital, including its former head of obstetrics and gynaecology Surinder Parhar.

Mr Fletcher apologised last Friday that the agency’s report into Dr Parhar had taken so long to complete, saying the delays were “not acceptable”.

The agency has now sought independent advice to ensure  it can spot patterns of poor medical practice and investigate them earlier, Mr Fletcher said.