Canberra Health Services has defended the Canberra Hospital's ICU after one of its directors launched legal proceedings against the organisation and two of its executives for allegedly trying to silence her whistleblowing about work health and safety concerns.
ICU clinical director Dr Bronwyn Avard filed a statement of claim in the Federal Court on Wednesday alleging that hospital actions against her started only after she made formal complaints and that those actions were retaliation to her raising concerns.
The alleged actions included a clinical misconduct investigation related to one of her four safety reports, directing Dr Avard to attend an independent medical examination, and refusing her request to return to work from long service leave.
On Thursday, a health services spokesman said "we can assure Canberrans and those in the surrounding region who rely on our critical care services that our intensive care unit is well staffed and delivers quality, safe health care".
"This has been externally validated by the recent accreditation survey for Canberra Health Services, which found we met all National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards."
The spokesman said a team at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons had also verified the trauma services delivered by the ICU and wider health services organisation.
"The feedback from the team of external specialist doctors was very complimentary - we await the final report," the spokesman said.
"We acknowledge there have been some culture issues identified within the ICU.
"This was highlighted in our staff survey, which was conducted last year. These results were out of step with the broader organisational results."
In response to the survey findings for the ICU, former Fair Work commissioner Barbara Deegan conducted an external review of the unit's culture.
"We have a leadership team in place who are working to implement strategies to improve culture within the unit," the health services' spokesman said.
The College of Intensive Care Medicine Of Australia and New Zealand also recently visited the unit and acknowledged the leadership and the improvements.
The spokesman said the health services would not comment about matters before the court or about individual employees.
Dr Avard, who has worked at the organisation for nearly 20 years, alleges the actions against her are a breach of the Fair Work Act 2009 and amount to attempting to silence a whistleblower.
"I have devoted the past 17 years to the wellbeing of patients and staff in Canberra Hospital and I remain fully committed to public health care in the ACT," Dr Avard said.
She is seeking, among other things, a declaration that the respondents breached the Act.
She also seeks payment for the losses, damages and hurt incurred since the actions against her started.
The Federal Court is yet to fix an initial hearing date for the case.
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