A new report lays out significant issues in the ACT health system.

According to the final cultural review released by Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith, the ACT Public Health Services are struggling with silos that make it challenging to carry out system-wide culture reform. 

The report indicates that although the previous two reviews showed evidence of progress in the culture of the health system in the national capital, there are still stumbling blocks in effecting change.

Sub-cultures continue to exist across the ACT public health system, the report says, making it difficult to implement consistent system-wide culture reforms. 

However, some important building blocks for reform are in place, such as key foundational elements like the piloting and testing of cross-agency training and development approaches, and the development of consistent data collection and reporting. The report also stressed the need for more effective staff and stakeholder engagement at all levels.

Ms Stephen-Smith emphasised that the ACT government would continue to work with stakeholder groups, including consumers and workplace representatives, to monitor progress on cultural reform. 

The health minister added that the culture review implementation program involved agencies across the territory's health system, including the ACT Health Directorate, Canberra Health Services, and Calvary Public Hospital.

Stephen-Smith praised the thousands of health workers who have engaged in the program to make important cultural changes in the health services, from nurses, midwives, doctors, allied health staff to support services teams and policy officers. 

“This is a program that has engaged countless staff in developing actions and implementing programs within individual teams,” she said.