Fewer ACT Health staff undergo anti-bullying training

Fewer ACT Health employees underwent anti-bullying training last financial year compared to previous years as a result of the work to update the course. This is despite staff culture being one of the key areas of an upcoming review into the directorate.

Data outlined in ACT Health's 2017-18 annual report showed 544 employees participated in the directorate's Respect at Work program, compared to 632 in 2016-17.

The Respect at Work program involves workshops that provide information on how to manage and prevent bullying, harassment and discrimination in the workplace.

The program was overhauled at the start of 2018 from being one workshop to a two-part course which involved online modules and a face-to-face component.

But it took four months to make the changes, during which it wasn't available.

Annual report figures show 164 staff members completed the program in its original form, 380 took part the revised version, and 220 of those completed both parts.

Between when the course was updated in March to the present, 371 staff completed the revised program.

"ACT Health's essential education policy outlines mandatory training for all health employees. The Respect at Work program is not mandatory but is highly recommended and staff are strongly encouraged to complete the training," the spokeswoman said.

Respect at Work has been available to all employees since it started in 2011.

While there was a drop in employees undertaking the anti-bullying program, there was a sharp rise in managers undertaking a course in how to deal with conduct breaches and bullying accusations in the workplace.

Just 45 managers completed the course in 2016-17, compared to 156 last financial year.

Despite this, investigations by the Sunday Canberra Times and The Canberra Times have revealed instances of alleged bullying in the ACT health system came from those in managerial positions.

Other anti-bullying programs conducted by ACT Health last financial year also recorded a drop in the number of employees taking part.

The Keep Calm and Have a Crucial Conversation course, which teaches employees how to appropriately have difficult conversations with fellow workers, saw 104 people take part in 2017-18, down from 165 the year before.

Employees participating in the Third Space workshop, which focuses on managing negative interactions and improving flexible behaviour, fell by 86 per cent last financial year, with 20 workers involved in the course compared to 145 in 2016-17.

A course that focused on improving team dynamics and how to interact respectfully with others registered a slight drop from 27 in 2016-17 to 22 in 2017-18.

The annual report also showed there were fewer officers within ACT Health that staff can report workplace incidents to.

As of the June 30 this year there were 89 respect, equity and diversity officers, down from 103 at the same time in 2017.

ACT Health director-general Michael De'Ath said improvements in workplace culture within ACT Health are under way.

"I am leading substantial work across ACT Health to ensure inappropriate behaviours are dealt with swiftly and appropriately and to provide alternative avenues for staff to raise concerns," Mr De'Ath said.

"This includes the introduction of an employee advocate. This role will provide staff with another avenue to have their issues or concerns addressed and resolved in a timely manner."

The director-general said the details for the new advocates within ACT Health are being worked out.

The independent review into the ACT public health system, announced by the territory government in September, will look into workplace culture and inappropriate conduct within the hospital system.

The review, chaired by former Queensland Health director general Mick Reid, opened for submissions on October 15.

However, medical groups and the ACT Opposition have said a more powerful board of inquiry was needed, which would provide greater protections for witnesses.

An interim report will be handed down on January 31, with the final report to be completed by March 30.

The ACT Health spokeswoman said work is ongoing to provide alternative ways for staff to voice concerns in the workplace.

"ACT Health and Canberra Health Services will also look forward to the findings and recommendations from the independent review with regards to workplace training in this area," the spokeswoman said.

"We will also look at ways of improving training and development opportunities for staff."