Canberra could face shortages of dermatologists, intensive care specialists and orthopaedic surgeons if pressure on medical training programs is not addressed, the Australian Medical Association ACT has warned.
“Today’s specialist trainees are tomorrow’s consultants,” AMA ACT president Dr Betty Ge said. “If training capacity is weakened in key specialties, the consequences will be felt years from now when Canberra is trying to recruit and retain the specialists it needs.”
Dermatologists and intensive care specialists have little confidence that training capacity is sustainable, while orthopaedic surgeons are also concerned training pipelines could not be maintained, an AMA ACT survey of senior doctors across several specialities revealed.
The doctors’ responses showed that increasing clinical demand, workforce shortages, and service pressures were leaving senior specialists with less time to teach, supervise and mentor trainees.
The ACT Health System inquiry, tabled in June, identified workforce sustainability and workforce planning as critical challenges, and recommended stronger planning, including a refresh of the ACT Health Services Plan.
“Our survey suggests some of those pressures may already be affecting specialist training capacity,” Dr Ge said.
Associate Professor Andrew Miller, one of the ACT’s few senior dermatologists, said Canberra’s relatively small specialist workforce had to sustain both tertiary hospital services and the training of future doctors.
“Specialist training depends on doctors in accredited training programs learning on the job under the supervision of experienced specialists,” Associate Professor Miller said. “Senior doctors want to teach and supervise specialist trainees, and they take that responsibility seriously.
“But increasing service pressures mean many are already stretched to capacity. If experienced specialists leave, and there is no plan to replace them, we risk losing not only expertise but also the people responsible for training the next generation.”
The AMA ACT has called for an urgent assessment of specialities with vulnerable training capacity; a review of supervision and teaching capacity in affected specialties; identification of accreditation and succession risks; practical support measures to protect specialist training capacity; and stronger focus on medical workforce and training planning as part of implementation of the ACT Health System Inquiry and ACT Health Workforce Strategy.
They are also seeking discussions with Canberra Health Services and ACT Health about how to support specialities whose training capacity is under pressure.
“Canberra needs both immediate action and long-term planning,” Dr Ge said. “We need to support vulnerable specialist training programs today while ensuring we have a clear plan for the specialist workforce our community will rely on tomorrow.”
Canberra Health Services acknowledged the AMA’s concerns, and said pressures on specialist medical training programs were occurring nationally, due to increasing clinical demand, workforce shortages, and supervisory requirements.
CHS operates 65 accredited specialist medical training programs, and trainees rate the quality of their training and positions highly on the national medical training survey, the spokesperson said. CHS provides professional development and operational support for supervisors; monitors accreditation risks; and coordinates training across Canberra Hospital and North Canberra Hospital. It is also reviewing supervision and teaching requirements across specialist programs to improve sustainability and protect training capacity.
“CHS is always looking at new ways we can improve the support we provide to our supervisors of training,” the spokesperson said. “We acknowledge the concerns raised by the AMA ACT and welcome collaboration on ways we can plan for a more sustainable workforce in the future.”
Health minister Dr Marisa Paterson said she was committed to supporting medical specialist trainees and the senior specialists who dedicate their time and energy to train them.
“These trainees are the next generation, and it’s important our specialist training programs ensure our trainees are being set up for every success.”
