DOCTORS in training have rated the ACT the lowest of all jurisdictions on top-level measures of feedback about their workplace, according to an independent survey funded by the Medical Board of Australia and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

Doctors in training were asked if they would recommend their current training, and their workplace, and how they would rate the quality of their supervision, orientation, teaching sessions and training to raise patient safety concerns.

In the ACT 446 doctors in training participated – 55 per cent were registrars and 23 per cent were resident medical officers and hospital medical officers. The “Medical Training Survey” is a snapshot of medical training in Australia, through the eyes of doctors in training.

In workplace and culture, 64 per cent agreed that their workplace supported staff wellbeing, compared to a national average of 77 per cent;  61 per cent agreed there was a positive culture in their workplace, compared to a national average of 77 per cent.

The results showed that 69 per cent of the ACT doctors agreed that bullying, harassment and discrimination by anyone “is not tolerated at my workplace”, compared to a national average of 79 per cent and 29 per cent had experienced, and 41 per cent had witnessed bullying, harassment discrimination and/or racism in the last 12 months, compared to a national average of 22 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.

Seventy-eight per cent agreed that racism was not tolerated in their workplace, compared to a national average of 85 per cent.

“On all these high-level measures, the ACT scored the lowest of every Australian state and territory. This is unacceptable,” said Liberal health spokesperson Leanne Castley.

“In the ACT only a relatively small amount of training occurs outside public hospitals.  So these results are another indictment of this government’s administration of our public hospitals.