More than 300 junior health care staff are expected to join the ACT's public health system this month, with the territory's Health Minister saying it will go some way to filling staff shortfalls.
More than 100 graduate nurses and 95 junior doctor interns will start across Canberra's public hospitals. An extra 130 junior doctors will also begin at Canberra Health Services.
Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said this year's intake had increased on previous years.
"This is about continuing to grow and diversify our workforce nurses and doctors right across the system," she said.
The graduates will join the system following a tumultuous few years.
Almost one in five nurses and midwives left the territory's public health system last financial year and there have been concerns raised about the number of senior nurses leaving the system.
Ms Stephen-Smith said the new graduates would help in filling staffing shortfalls but acknowledged more junior than senior staff were entering the system.
She said COVID-19 and burnout had contributed to higher numbers of staff leaving over recent years. Ms Stephen-Smith also said many staff had postponed their retirement due to the pandemic.
"We're continuing to grow our healthcare workforce in net terms but there's no doubt that over the last 18 months or so we have seen a higher rate of attrition in our workforce than we have in previous years," Ms Stephen-Smith said.
"We're doing a lot of work to ensure we have the right skills mix available, we know that we're in that part of the cycle where we've got a lot more junior and less experienced people coming into the system because of those issues around COVID and burnout."
Canberra Health Services has previously said the top three reasons for people leaving, as indicated in an exit survey, was a promotion or new job, a change in personal circumstance and the end of temporary employment.
Ms Stephen-Smith said there had been 200 applicants for the junior doctor intern roles. She said the health system had been short on junior medical officers over recent years and the intake would help fill shortfalls.
"Having this new junior medical officer intake is really, really important in addressing some of the challenges we've had in that space," she said.
"They will be helping to fill those shortfalls that we've seen in the last year. This is a really strong intake of junior medical officers and it's a great thing to have all of those people coming into our system."
Junior doctors have borne the brunt of cultural issues that have plagued Canberra Hospital. A 2021 survey found Canberra's junior doctors had reported the worst work conditions in the country.
The survey from the Medical Training Board of Australia found junior doctors were the least likely to recommend the program to other doctors.
A group of junior doctors have also alleged they were underpaid and have launched a class action lawsuit in the Federal Court.
Ms Stephen-Smith said it was important to continue work on improving culture in Canberra's public health system, pointing to a $8.75 million wellbeing fund set up by the government last year.
"It is really important that we continue to improve the culture across our health system at Canberra Health Services and at Calvary Public Hospital and in the directorate so that staff are reassured that their wellbeing and their safety is our priority," she said.
Ms Stephen-Smith said work was also done to ensure junior staff had access to support.
"There's a lot of work that goes into ensuring that those people are well-oriented and they have the supports they need and that they understand the supports that are available if they might be struggling a bit," Ms Stephen-Smith said.
"Lots of people struggle in a new job and ensuring there are networks and supports available in place for new starters is a key part of orienting them to the organisation."
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