AMA claims bullying rife at DDHHS

One third of junior doctors ‘harassed’

NEARLY one third (32 per cent) of junior doctors employed by the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service have been bullied, harassed or discriminated against, according to a new Australian Medical Association Queensland report.

The 2018 Resident Hospital Health Check, based on a survey of 615 junior doctors statewide, also found 60 per cent of DDHHS junior doctors had witnessed a colleague being bullied or harassed.

The survey also found more than half were worried there may be negative consequences if they reported bullying.

Darling Downs Health executive director of medical services Dr Martin Byrne said Darling Downs Health had a supportive approach to its junior doctor training and took the welfare of all staff “very seriously”.

He said this was reflected in the 79% retention rate of new doctors in the Toowoomba Hospital’s 2017 intake and 85% retention rate of the 2018 intake.

“Darling Downs Health has a zero-tolerance approach to bullying, discrimination or harassment. All junior medical staff are encouraged to report any incidences of workplace bullying,” he said.

AMA Queensland Council of Doctors in Training chair Dr Chris Maguire said the 2018 report card revealed some concerning statewide trends.

“DDHHS, which includes 17 hospitals and numerous health centres and clinics, is particularly disturbing with nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) of junior doctors concerned about making a clinical error due to fatigue caused by the hours they work,” he said.

Dr Maguire said the annual RHHC was designed to help junior doctors decide where to work and promote positive change in the hospital system.

“Darling Downs HHS was scored C this year and did well in some categories compared with other regions,” he said.