Systematic audit of Australian specialty colleges’ policies on bullying, discrimination, and harassment
Thomas Haskell
A * and Nancy Merridew B C
A
B
C
Abstract
To support policy makers and healthcare workers to reduce high rates of bullying, discrimination, and harassment (BDH) that affect doctors in Australian specialty training sites.
This audit assessed the quality of policies regarding BDH and associated complaints of the Australian Medical Council-accredited Australasian specialty training Colleges (Colleges). Policies were systematically identified and scored against a national standard BDH policy checklist.
Fourteen of the 16 Colleges have each written and curated their own BDH policies for their members, with wide variation between Colleges regarding content and processes. This impairs the efficacy of BDH handling in specialty training sites.
Key areas for improvement were identified. A checklist is proposed that is specific to College BDH policies and processes involving specialty training sites.
Keywords: bullying, complaints, discrimination, harassment, occupational health and safety, policy, psychosocial hazards, work health and safety.
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