No service disruption for Bathurst Base after staff secured

The WNSWLHD released a statement late Friday advising that the RACP would be withdrawing accreditation for medical registrar training at the hospital, citing concerns about supervision and workloads.

However, late Monday evening the WNSWLHD confirmed the hospital's management team had secured sufficient staff to ensure the ongoing operation of inpatient medical services, on an interim basis.

At the time of the announcement, there was no information on how long that interim basis was, with the WNSWLHD chief executive Mark Spittal saying just days ago that the re-accreditation process would take anywhere between six and 18 months.

On Monday evening, he commended staff and management at Bathurst Health Service for their rapid and effective response to the withdrawal of registrar training accreditation.

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The RACP, the body responsible for accrediting hospitals to train registrars in speciality areas, had verbally advised the LHD of its decision to withdraw registrar training accreditation on Friday morning.

"I want the Bathurst community know that when they come to their hospital, they'll receive the care they need," Mr Spittal said.

"The response from doctors, other clinical staff and management at the hospital has been immediate and comprehensive."

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He said manager Cathy Marshall and the director of medical services, Dr Marco Metelo, who were collaborating with the general physicians, the LHD team and their colleagues across the state, have put in place interim measures "that ensure we have sufficient medical coverage both to care for patients and to support our junior medical officers without service disruption."

"In the face of an extremely difficult situation, the whole team has responded in a way we should all be very proud of. We now have in place a model of medical coverage that has secured services," he said.

"This is not an issue of funding or of specific instances of patient care or of the operation of the hospital as a whole. Bathurst Hospital continues to meet or exceed the performance of hospitals of a similar size across the state. Its performance in terms of patient experience also continues to be very good.

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"There are areas for improvement and the vast majority of the medical workforce at the hospital is extremely positive about how it can continue to improve the supervision, support and environment for medical registrars.

"Now, more than ever, we need the community to get behind its hospital to promote its role as a key facility in the region, and as a great place to work and receive healthcare."

Speaking on behalf of the Department of Medicine at Bathurst Base Hospital, Associate Professor Bruce McGarity said the physicians in the department would like to reassure the public that care of patients at Bathurst Hospital will not be compromised by the RACP's decision to withdraw registrar training accreditation.

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The decision has resulted in four registrars, due to start on Monday, February 6, not arriving at the hospital.

"The hospital administration has made strenuous efforts to replace the absent doctors with locum staff given the sudden and unexpected decision made by the College," Professor McGarity said.

"In the longer term, returning registrar training to Bathurst Hospital is essential for the efficient care of patients and for the retention and recruitment of specialist physicians.

"We will continue with the many measures already underway to regain the accreditation as soon as possible."

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