Thomas Embling Hospital Staff Face Burnout and Violence

Hospital staff are struggling.

A review of Thomas Embling Hospital found big problems.

In short:

A leaked report shows the hospital has many issues.

The hospital staff is very junior and has too much work.

What's next?

The government is working on the report's suggestions.

The hospital gets enough money, but it's not used well.

The hospital treats patients who are not guilty of crimes due to mental illness.

More beds will be available in September.

The hospital is already dealing with staff leaving, violence, and drug abuse.

A new expansion will add 82 beds.

Insiders say the workplace is not functioning well.

Forensicare asked for a review to find the causes of staff dissatisfaction.

The report says the medical staff has too much work.

The report says long-term pressure hurts staff morale.

The hospital does not use its funding efficiently.

The staff is too junior and needs more supervision.

The ABC asked for the report, but did not get it.

The ABC got a leaked copy of the report.

The report says Forensicare gets enough funding.

But the funding is not used well.

The problem is with the system, not the budget.

The report did not check if the funded positions were filled.

The hospital has issues with staff despite having enough funding.

The hospital lost accreditation for trainee positions due to violence.

Some accreditation was returned, but not all.

The RANZCP is working with Forensicare to improve the training environment.

The review found the workforce is fragmented and relies too much on part-time workers.

The system creates unclear roles and adds to staff pressure.

If these issues are not fixed, the hospital will struggle to keep good staff.

Staff are battling bureaucracy.

Patients made many requests for leave, which adds to the administrative burden.

This can lead to leave being approved or denied incorrectly.

These decisions affect public safety and patient recovery.

A court case is tracking a woman who was secluded at the hospital for 11 years.

A seclusion room at the hospital.

The sector describes the organization as overly bureaucratic.

Forensicare needs to rebuild trust with its medical professionals.

The medical advisory committee's expertise is not used enough.

A Forensicare executive accused consultants of trying to form a cartel.

The report says the workforce is skilled and dedicated, but needs improvement.

The service is dealing with a growing prison population and other challenges.

Forensicare is looking for psychiatrists to fill short-term positions.

Forensicare commits to the review's recommendations.

The operator welcomed the findings and will implement the suggestions.

Forensicare says it has a skilled workforce and is well-resourced.

The review confirms Forensicare is well-resourced, but needs to invest in its workforce.

The government says Forensicare is putting the recommendations into action.

The expanded hospital will open in phases to relieve demand.

A doctor says the safety of trainees is a top priority.

Forensicare wants Thomas Embling to succeed as a specialist forensic mental health service.

Forensicare says an administrative error meant the FOI request was not processed.

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