A damning review has exposed serious failures in the training and supervision of junior doctors at Canberra Hospital, revealing they were left unsupervised after hours and pressured to perform medical procedures beyond their qualifications.
Systemic Failures in Training and Oversight
The findings, from a 2024 review, showed the hospital's obstetrics and gynaecology unit did not meet critical standards set by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG). The hospital failed eight out of 71 standards, with significant issues around after-hours supervision and the inappropriate delegation of tasks.
A ministerial briefing released under freedom of information laws confirmed the hospital did not ensure "zero tolerance for staff requesting trainees to perform procedures they are not credentialled for". In response, the hospital reintroduced a skills-tracking document for trainees, to be updated every six months and kept on hand in the delivery suite.
Other unmet standards involved rostering problems, inadequate team structure, limited surgical opportunities for trainees, and a lack of protected education time. The college demanded the roster be overhauled to ensure fair access to after-hours training and that supervisors had better oversight to distribute surgical opportunities equally.
Culture of Bullying and Racism Addressed
The hospital also failed a specific condition related to bullying, harassment, and discrimination. In a direct response, senior consultants in the unit were required to complete workshops in emotional intelligence, compassion, and respectful workplace practices.
Additional measures included a cultural diversity and inclusion program delivered at monthly meetings and specialised sessions for international medical graduates on how to address bullying and racism. This action aligns with a 2025 Medical Board of Australia survey which found ACT trainee doctors were more likely to witness or experience such misconduct at work.
Accreditation Retained Amid Ongoing Challenges
Despite the failures, preliminary feedback indicates Canberra Hospital has been granted a three-year accreditation to continue training doctors in obstetrics and gynaecology. This follows serious concerns in 2023 when the unit risked losing accreditation after failing 23 standards.
The hospital's struggles are long-standing. A leaked report from as far back as 2014 described its maternity training unit as "the worst in Australia".
While the ACT's public hospitals face difficulties attracting permanent staff, Canberra itself does not have a specialist shortage. However, reliance on temporary staff is costly, with Canberra Health Services spending $673,450 on 12 locum doctors between June and September 2025 alone.
A "multi-pronged recruitment strategy" in late 2024 and early 2025 failed to attract suitable specialists, attributed to more competitive pay packages interstate. The hospital is now looking to international recruitment as a medium-term solution and plans to onboard three new senior doctors by mid-2026.
The directorate stated it is supporting current trainees to achieve fellowship and actively considering them in future workforce planning to build a sustainable pipeline of specialists for Canberra.
