QUEENSLAND EMBARKS ON $3.6m STRATEGY TO ADDRESS DOCTOR FATIGUE

The Queensland Government has embarked on a $3.6 million Alert Doctors Strategy to address the important issue of doctor fatigue.

Health Minister Stephen Robertson said today the strategy builds upon Queensland Health’s fatigue reporting and management arrangements already in place at hospitals to reduce the risk from workplace fatigue.

“These arrangements enable doctors to report fatigue instances and require local managers to establish processes to assess and manage the risk of current and future fatigue instances.

“Medical managers are also instructed to review the rostering and work arrangements of junior doctors to ensure work practices that may lead to fatigue are managed.

“Under the new Alert Doctors Strategy, my department will work collaboratively with AMA Queensland, relevant unions and other key stakeholders to establish safeguards and control measures to reduce the risk from doctor fatigue.

“We’re engaging world-renowned experts from the University of South Australia’s Centre for Sleep Research to help develop an evidence-based fatigue management framework for Queensland Health’s doctors.

“We’ll also trial the framework with doctors at a number of pilot sites throughout Queensland and use the findings from these studies to implement it statewide within 18 months.

“Observational studies will help us to truly understand the impact of existing work practices on patients and doctors, the levels of risk to patient safety, and the feasibility of a range of potential solutions to this problem.”

Mr Robertson said relevant unions were also considering the State Government’s proposed New Continuous Hours policy to address fatigue risks from doctors working long shifts.

“The proposed policy outlines the processes to be implemented if any doctor is engaged in 16 hours of continuous work.

“This will ensure that management are informed about work practices and encourages all members of the medical profession to address the problem.”

Mr Robertson said doctor fatigue was a vitally important issue for the well-being of medical practitioners and patients alike.

“It’s a complex issue and there are no quick fixes.

“Legislated work hours for doctors as proposed by the Opposition reflect a simplistic approach which doesn’t consider the complexity of the issue.

“It’s not just about hours of work. There are a number of environmental factors which must be taken into consideration in resolving the issue.

“It would be foolish to legislate without fully understanding the issues to be addressed and without basing the solutions on the latest evidence-based research.”

Mr Robertson said doctors’ award conditions in Queensland prescribe a minimum 8-hour break between shifts.

“But there is a lot more work to be done to address doctor fatigue.

“That’s why the Beattie Government is working closely with the medical profession and unions to develop multi-faceted solutions to the complex issues contributing to doctor fatigue.”

MEDIA: Paul Lynch 3234 1190