Qld doctors’ shocking local hospital ratings revealed

New data has laid bare the state’s health crisis through the eyes of doctors on duty. SEE HOW YOUR HOSPITAL RATED

Junior doctors are so desperately needed to work frontline shifts in Queensland’s overwhelmed hospitals they are missing out on the necessary training to build a future workforce of medical specialists.

Three years into the pandemic, a survey of more than 700 of the state’s resident doctors reveals that an alarmingly high number say they are not being trained properly and are working 70-hour weeks.

The Australian Medical Association Queensland’s 2022 Resident Hospital Health Check, released on Monday, lays bare the state’s health crisis through the eyes of doctors on duty in the Queensland hospitals

A shocking 60 per cent are so burnt out they live in fear of making a dangerous clinical error with one in six of them working more than 70 hours a week, many without adequate breaks.

A total of 719 junior doctors responded to the annual survey from AMAQ’s Committee of Doctors in Training (CDT) and ASMOFQ (Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation Queensland), which compares the junior doctor experience and staff wellbeing in public hospitals around the state.

CDT chair Rob Nayer said the steady increase in the number of medics concerned about possible fatigue-induced clinical errors highlights the toll the Covid-19 pandemic has taken on the medical profession, and the failure of hospital authorities to take enduring action on both the hours worked and the quality of formal and bedside teaching and training.

Only 38 per cent of the doctors were satisfied with their formal training and just one in four with their bedside training, while only 39 per cent thought their hospital was looking after mental health and wellbeing adequately.

“Poor training leaves junior doctors feeling unprepared, which affects mental health and contributes to their fear of making mistakes. If we’re not training our doctors properly, we won’t have a future generation of specialists to give Queenslanders the high quality healthcare they deserve,” Dr Nayer said.

The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and other Queensland hospitals have been rated by the doctors that work there. Picture: Josh Woning

The Committee of Doctors in Training is concerned that every year, more and more doctors in training raise fatigue and overwork as a key concern, and the pandemic has exacerbated the pressure.

“This year we have seen unprecedented stresses on our hospitals, doctors, and all healthcare workers. We know ambulance ramping and access block remain big issues around the state, and it’s really showing a negative impact on the frontline health care providers, which is frequently our junior doctor workforce,” Dr Nayer said.

“Doctors, nurses and all healthcare staff are exhausted and now, more than ever, hospitals need to provide a safe, supportive environment for staff.

“AMAQ will be taking these results to tomorrow’s Queensland Health Workforce Summit. We need urgent and sustainable action to train and retain our doctors.”