Govt spruiks Health culture improvements, but there's a problem with the numbers

Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith, top, and Canberra Health Services chief executive Dave Peffer, bottom, have been promoting the results of a recent workplace culture survey. Pictures by Sitthixay Ditthavong, Dion Georgopoulos

Canberra Health Services has been spruiking workplace culture improvements based on survey results that, by its own admission in an internal memo, are not statistically valid.

Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith this week pointed to the survey of nearly 3000 staff to say it showed a "significant improvement" in culture at the organisation.