Question - Health workers

1. Can the Minister provide a breakdown for (a) Canberra Hospital and (b) North Canberra Hospital, on how many full-time staff, by classification, have separated each month for the past 24 months in the cardiology department.
2. How many staff have been recruited, for example, employed on a full-time basis with Canberra Health Services (CHS) as opposed to locum etc.
3. How many sonographers have left the cardiology unit for each month for the last two months.
4. How many sonographers does CHS currently have employed at North Canberra Hospital.
5. How many exit interviews have been conducted for staff who have separated from the cardiology department at both (a) Canberra Hospital and (b) North Canberra Hospital, for each month for the past 12 months.
6. Can the Minister provide an update on waitlists associated with the cardiology units at (a) Canberra Hospital and (b) North Canberra Hospital.
7. Can the Minister give an indication whether wait lists have increased in the past three months for each wait list.
8. Are cardiologists at both hospitals able to provide a pacemaker to patients.
9. Have there been any issues in the past three months where the cardiology units at both hospitals have not been able to operate on a patient who needs a pacemaker.

(1) The data below from Canberra Health Services (CHS) does not include Visiting Medical Officers or locum positions.

(a)

(b)

(2) The data below from CHS does not include Visiting Medical Officers or locum positions. It is important to note this does not account for any upcoming recruitment initiatives or onboarding processes. 

(3) Over July and August 2023, one sonographer left the Canberra Hospital and no sonographers left the North Canberra Hospital (NCH) cardiology unit. However, 3 sonographers decided not to transition to Canberra Health Services.

(4) As at 24 October 2023, there are 10 sonographers (8 general and 2 cardiac) who provide imaging services at the North Canberra Hospital. 

(5) All CHS staff are invited to complete a formal exit survey. At the end of the survey, staff are asked if they wish to complete a face-to-face interview. Work is underway at North Canberra Hospital to establish formal exit interviews in line with the current CHS process.
 

(a) None. 
(b) None. 

(6) 

(7) The Canberra Hospital Cardiology department are currently undertaking an audit of the waitlist to maintain accuracy and integrity and in turn reduce waiting times. It is anticipated that following this audit, the waiting list will see a decrease in those patients waiting to be seen and will reflect the demand on services to allow for future capacity planning. 

(8) NCH does not have the facilities to provide pacemakers to patients. NCH patients requiring a pacemaker are referred to the Canberra Hospital for this procedure. 

(9) There is always coverage to provide emergency pacemakers 24 hours, 7 days a week. However, patients are triaged dependent on their clinical urgency and may be scheduled a later date.