PrintAHS releases report to improve how workplace harassment and abuse concerns involving physicians are handled
Alberta Health Services has released a new report that makes a series of recommendations to create a more equitable, just, and responsive process, when workplace violence and harassment incidents, involving physicians, are witnessed or reported.
Starting in October 2021, the AHS Bilateral Complaint Resolution Working Group, a multi-disciplinary stakeholder group, was tasked with improving AHS’s intake and resolution processes for worker-to-worker concerns, including harassment and violence complaints involving employees and members of the physicians and midwifery staff. This working group was formed in response to extensive advocacy by UNA, over many years, that brought forward concerns about how workplace harassment and violence allegations involving physicians were being handled by AHS.
The working group finalized a series of recommendations in July 2022 to create a more equitable, just, and responsive process, when workplace violence and harassment incidents, involving physicians, are witnessed or reported. The report and recommendations were approved by the AHS Executive Leadership Team in September 2022 and shared with UNA in October 2022.
The Report, Recommendations and Implementation Plan of the Bilateral Complaint Resolution Working Group includes the following five high-level recommendations:
- Create clear processes for assessment and review and/or investigation of allegations of harassment and violence
- Ensure accountability of workers, leaders and the organization in managing these concerns
- Keep staff safe and supported
- Ensure appropriate transparency, confidentiality and sharing of information
- Ensure partnership and resources for Medical Affairs and Human Resources
The full report outlines detailed operational tasks under each recommendation to achieve these goals. UNA has entered into discussions with AHS to determine timelines to implement the specific actions listed in the report.
AHS has publicly stated that a progress report for this work will be completed in January 2023.
