Obstetrics and gynaecology training accreditation reviewed at Centenary Hospital for Women and Children

The review at the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children took place last week and feedback from the accreditors suggested there were challenges.

The Canberra Times has heard from staff in the unit who are fearful it could lose its training accreditation but no formal report has been given to Canberra Health Services and the government has hit out at "scaremongering" about this.

These fears come following a large number of staff resigning from the unit and the loss of training accreditation in the hospital's fetal medicine unit.

A Canberra Health Services spokesman said there had been informal feedback from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologists, which conducted the review, reflecting "known challenges".

"We received informal feedback on the day of the review, however as yet no formal report has been received," the spokesman said.

"We will welcome any recommendations from RANZCOG and CHS is committed to building a collaborative and positive team environment."

The review was scheduled but delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions, the spokesman said, and was originally supposed to occur in October 2022.

The Canberra Times has been told more than 50 staff have left obstetrics and gynaecology over the past year, Canberra Health Services has not yet been able to confirm or deny this.

The hospital's fetal medicine unit had its accreditation suspended last year due to specialist shortfalls in the department.

The loss of training accreditation means the hospital is unable to train sub-specialists, it does not mean the unit itself has lost accreditation.

Opposition health spokeswoman Leanne Castley has also heard reports the unit could lose is training accreditation.

"Another unit in the women's youth and children division is in danger of failing their accreditation because of staffing shortfalls in the unit means they cannot perform their duties as well as training trainee doctors," she said.

"Culture issues in this unit have been known for more than a year now and staff have been leaving as a result."

Acting Opposition Leader Jeremy Hanson said, in question time, the Liberals had heard reports that obstetrics and gynaecology at Canberra Hospital had been reviewed and had "fallen short of standards".

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Mr Hanson asked Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith whether this was the case and she took the question on notice. She also said some of the concerns raised were already well understood.

"This is some preliminary information, but I understand from the RANZCOG visit they expressed some concerns, but my understanding is that these are concerns that are already well understood and shared," Ms Stephen-Smith said.

"I think we all have some frustration at the speed of some of the changes in women, youth and children."

Ms Stephen-Smith said suggestions the unit was at risk of losing its accreditation were "scaremongering".

"There is nothing in the information I have had to date that would indicate that is the case," she said.

Ms Stephen-Smith said the hospital's talent acquisition team had been specifically focused on finding appropriate staff for obstetrics and gynaecology and there was a "very significant focus" on this from senior leaders at Canberra Health Services.

"It is no secret that there are some cultural issues in women, youth and children's. That is an ongoing matter of concern," she said.

The opposition has also been critical of the fact the executive director of women, youth and children had been pulled away from work at the unit to help with the government's compulsory acquisition of Calvary Public Hospital Bruce.

"Whilst the obstetrics and gynaecology department have been facing these significant issues the minister confirmed in question time that she has placed the executive director of the unit to work on their hostile takeover of Calvary," Ms Castley said.

But Ms Stephen-Smith said the acting director of the unit was a "very competent clinician in her own right".

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