Workplace culture within Canberra's public health system has improved, results from a recent survey show, but staff are still grappling with issues around occupational violence and wellbeing.
The staff survey has shown Canberra Health Services has improved on a number of measures over the past year but there are still low levels of trust in executives and managers.
Staff reported greater confidence in the direction of the organisation and in people wanting to improve the way things are done at the organisation.
Canberra Health Services acting chief executive Janet Zagari said she was particularly pleased 58 per cent of respondents said the organisation was a "truly great place to work".
She said this was a 10 per cent increase since 2019, which was the last time this question was asked.
"To have done so well is really heartening," Ms Zagari said.
However, the results show there is still a lack of trust in the executive and managers.
Only 35 per cent of respondents said they had "high trust" in the executive management team. This was up from 32 per cent in the last survey.
Forty-one per cent of respondents had "high trust" for their managers. This was down from 42 per cent in the last survey.
Ms Zagari said there would be a focus on leadership training for managers, however, she described the 3 per cent increase in the trust of the executive as being "significant".
"It is about making sure we are open and transparent, that we ensure we provide good leadership training for our managers so that they understand how to work well with their teams but also is reflective of that busy period," she said.
"Given the significant increase in the trust with the executive and the work that [chief executive] Dave [Peffer] has been doing, it's about continuing that culture work across the organisation so that it reflects at every level."
In an all-staff email about the results, Ms Zagari wrote there was always room for improvement and cited occupational violence and wellbeing as issues.
"Over the coming weeks we'll dive deep into the results to look at ways to support you," she wrote.
"Occupational violence, and our team's wellbeing, are among the issues that many of you are grappling with, and that we'll need to work on together."
Cultural problems have plagued Canberra Hospital for years. A damning review into the ACT's public health system almost four years ago found troubling levels of mistrust and bullying.
The recent culture survey heard from 2904 staff, which make up 35 per cent of the organisation. This was down from the previous year where 50 per cent of staff had responded to the survey.
The survey was distributed in December.
Ms Zagari said the survey was heavily promoted and managers were told that staff who did not work at a computer should have time set aside to complete the survey.
A focus for the year ahead will be on the rollout of the $8.5 million wellbeing fund, which was announced by the ACT government last year.
"Having come through the pandemic and different areas having had workforce challenges, particularly in December, where we were seeing the impact of COVID leave again, we know that staff are tired and the wellbeing initiative funding that was announced last year gives us a real opportunity to start focusing on that," Ms Zagari said.
"Really focusing on ensuring that staff come to work and feel psychologically safe and that they have what they need from their manager and their leadership to make this a great place."
This fund was described as a "Band-Aid solution" by the Australian Nurses and Midwifery Federation, which said a more substantial solution was needed to fix workplace culture.
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