The child-at-risk health unit at Canberra Hospital will undergo a review of its training accreditation following concerns about senior specialist shortfalls.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The review will take place outside of the normal cycle after the accreditation body, the Royal College of Physicians, received these concerns.
Training accreditation for junior doctors in the plastic surgery team has also been revoked.
These reviews follow the loss of training accreditation in the fetal medicine unit at the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children and a scathing review of training in obstetrics and gynaecology.
Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith confirmed, in an answer to a question on notice, there would be a review into training accreditation for the child-at-risk health unit.
"This was in response to concerns received by the Royal Australian College of Physicians about training due to workforce shortages of senior staff specialists," she said.
![Canberra Hospital's child-at-risk health unit will have its training accreditation reviewed. Picture by Dion Georgopoulos Canberra Hospital's child-at-risk health unit will have its training accreditation reviewed. Picture by Dion Georgopoulos](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/79652520/bd478ce1-a370-4fc8-b728-15ee48d4face.jpg/r0_267_5000_3078_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Ms Stephen-Smith said the college had raised these concerns in an email to a clinician when they were on extended leave. She said this clinician responded "urgently on their return to work".
The child-at-risk health unit provides medical and counselling support for children and their families there where there are concerns of child abuse and neglect.
Training accreditation for the plastic surgery team was revoked by the Canberra Region Medical Education Council, which accredits the training terms junior doctors undertake following university to achieve a general medical registration.
Opposition health spokeswoman Leanne Castley, who asked the question on notice, said there were now four units known to have serious issues with training accreditation.
"This reflects poorly on Canberra Health Services' reputation as a place for junior doctors to train. This could have an ongoing impact on attraction and retention of staff for these specialities for years," she said.
MORE A.C.T. POLITICS NEWS:
"We know that junior doctors who undertake their training in the ACT are more likely to stay when they finish their training.
"Front-line staff, trainee doctors and Canberrans deserve much better from this government."
Training accreditation for the fetal medicine unit was suspended in August last year.
The training program is also under threat in obstetrics and gynaecology following a damning draft report from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
The college, which inspected the unit in June, found high workloads, "chronic understaffing" and high levels of burnout. The unit failed to meet five of six accreditation criteria and has been given six months to turn around the situation.
Ms Castley raised concerns about training accreditation in plastic surgery in budget estimates on July 20.
At the time, Ms Stephen-Smith and officials said they were unaware of training accreditation being lost or at risk in other units.
The response to the question on notice said Ms Stephen-Smith was advised by Canberra Health Services on August 2 about the status of training accreditation in plastics and reconstructive surgery and the child at risk health unit.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark canberratimes.com.au
- Download our app
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram