❓ Ms Mettam questions the Minister for Health regarding junior doctor burnout and safety, referencing the Premier's comments. The Minister acknowledges the issue, highlights improvements in wellbeing and workloads according to the AMA's Hospital Health Check, and details government strategies to support junior doctors.
AnsweredQoN 241Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Health—Junior doctors
241. Ms Libby Mettam to
the Minister for Health:
I refer to the 56%
of junior doctors reporting burnout and one in two feeling unsafe to work after
being on call overnight. Does the minister support the Premier's comments
yesterday that this is just part of the experience in our hospitals?
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
241. Ms Libby Mettam to
the Minister for Health:
I refer to the 56%
of junior doctors reporting burnout and one in two feeling unsafe to work after
being on call overnight. Does the minister support the Premier's comments
yesterday that this is just part of the experience in our hospitals?
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
AnswerView source ↗
Junior doctors play
an incredibly important role in WA Health. Their wellbeing and safety is
something that our government is committed to, very mindful of and talks
regularly—
Ms Libby Mettam interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Vasse! It has been 19 seconds.
Let the minister respond.
Ms Meredith Hammat: We talk regularly with the
Australian Medical Association and all unions about the working environment
right throughout WA Health because this is a matter that we take very
seriously. The member referred to the AMA's Hospital Health Check that it does
every year. I was very pleased to see in this year's report that there have
been some improvements in wellbeing and workloads'.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition, please do not
interject.
Ms Meredith Hammat: I was very pleased to see that the
survey showed some improvements in wellbeing and workloads in our hospitals,
and I think that reflects the concerted effort and focus we have had. It builds
on the steady improvements in workplace conditions for junior doctors over the
last four years that the AMA has run this check. These modest but important
improvements relate to important areas of work like discrimination, bullying,
and job security, particularly in the context of parental leave. I was very
happy to see that, while hospitals are challenging and very high-pressure work
environments, 92% of junior doctors reported often or always feeling safe at
work. In a difficult work environment, I think that is an encouraging result.
We have put in place
deliberate strategies and a range of measures to support and assist our junior
doctors. They include things like safer rostering rules, payment of extended
shift rates after 10 hours, and enhanced professional development leave. Our
health services have put in place specific initiatives like at South
Metropolitan Health Service. The doctors support unit is there to improve
recruitment, retention and wellbeing. In the East Metropolitan Health Service
we have the EAST Experience program and the junior medical officer road map at
the Child and Adolescent Health Service and the WA Country Health Service,
which is looking at all the ways it can expand and improve rural training
pathways. We are doing a lot of work to support our junior doctors. They are
initiatives right across the system to improve the workload, working life and
outcomes for junior doctors. That was a particular focus during the last round
of industrial agreement negotiations.
Of course, we are always
looking at what more we can do. We take our obligations as employers very
seriously. We have increased the number of doctors across the system since 2021
by 2,000, a 41% increase, but we know there is always more to do so we will
keep looking at what we can do to support our junior doctors by working with
our health service providers, the AMA and all unions on what is a very
important piece of work.
an incredibly important role in WA Health. Their wellbeing and safety is
something that our government is committed to, very mindful of and talks
regularly—
Ms Libby Mettam interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Vasse! It has been 19 seconds.
Let the minister respond.
Ms Meredith Hammat: We talk regularly with the
Australian Medical Association and all unions about the working environment
right throughout WA Health because this is a matter that we take very
seriously. The member referred to the AMA's Hospital Health Check that it does
every year. I was very pleased to see in this year's report that there have
been some improvements in wellbeing and workloads'.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition, please do not
interject.
Ms Meredith Hammat: I was very pleased to see that the
survey showed some improvements in wellbeing and workloads in our hospitals,
and I think that reflects the concerted effort and focus we have had. It builds
on the steady improvements in workplace conditions for junior doctors over the
last four years that the AMA has run this check. These modest but important
improvements relate to important areas of work like discrimination, bullying,
and job security, particularly in the context of parental leave. I was very
happy to see that, while hospitals are challenging and very high-pressure work
environments, 92% of junior doctors reported often or always feeling safe at
work. In a difficult work environment, I think that is an encouraging result.
We have put in place
deliberate strategies and a range of measures to support and assist our junior
doctors. They include things like safer rostering rules, payment of extended
shift rates after 10 hours, and enhanced professional development leave. Our
health services have put in place specific initiatives like at South
Metropolitan Health Service. The doctors support unit is there to improve
recruitment, retention and wellbeing. In the East Metropolitan Health Service
we have the EAST Experience program and the junior medical officer road map at
the Child and Adolescent Health Service and the WA Country Health Service,
which is looking at all the ways it can expand and improve rural training
pathways. We are doing a lot of work to support our junior doctors. They are
initiatives right across the system to improve the workload, working life and
outcomes for junior doctors. That was a particular focus during the last round
of industrial agreement negotiations.
Of course, we are always
looking at what more we can do. We take our obligations as employers very
seriously. We have increased the number of doctors across the system since 2021
by 2,000, a 41% increase, but we know there is always more to do so we will
keep looking at what we can do to support our junior doctors by working with
our health service providers, the AMA and all unions on what is a very
important piece of work.
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