No F Grades, but no complacency
Our Junior Doctors’ Voice Matters
Dr Shirley Bowen
Director General, Department of Health
The AMA (WA) HHC continues to be a valuable tool for hearing directly from junior doctors and DiTs. As Director General of the Department of Health, I sincerely thank all DiTs who participated in this year’s HHC survey.
Thank you for sharing your stories, your frustrations, and for your honesty. Almost 1,500 junior doctors took the time to complete the survey, and what was shared is both encouraging and, in parts, sobering.
Junior doctors play a pivotal role in our WA Health system, and I want to assure them their insights shape a better health system for everyone.
For the first time since the 2015 inception of HHC, there is not a single F grade in the scorecard, and the AMA (WA) also introduced a new grade of A+ to highlight excellence across our health system.
There are signs of real progress across all Hospital Service Providers (HSPs) – progress reflecting the efforts of many across our health system to create safer, fairer, and more supportive places to work and learn.
It matters deeply to me that our junior doctors feel safe coming to work, and it is reassuring to read 91% of DiTs reported they often or always feel safe at work – up from 81% last year and 74% in 2023.
During all stages of their challenging careers, all doctors, especially those newest to the health system, should be able to take time off when needed; and I am pleased to see leave access has improved significantly.
With every HSP scoring an A or B, this is a major step forward compared to just a few years ago, when junior doctors were struggling to take leave that was rightfully earned. There are signs of reduced burnout – proof our continued focus on leave accessibility is making a difference.
All of this said, there are messages in this year’s report that are loud and clear.
Every person deserves to come to work feeling respected and valued, not only by patients and their families, but by all of our peers in the hospital – and we will continue our efforts to stamp out bullying and discrimination across the health system.
“ Every person deserves to come to work feeling respected and valued, not only by patients and their families, but by all of our peers in the hospital – and we will continue our efforts to stamp out bullying and discrimination across the health system.
It is equally concerning to read that 26% of respondents indicated that after being on-call overnight, they felt unsafe returning to work.
Junior doctors are the future of our workforce. Although we’ve made real progress, we know we cannot be complacent, and we know there is more to be done. Guided by the voices of junior doctors, we will work closely with all HSPs and the AMA (WA) to make further improvements across the system.