SafeWork NSW has ordered the college to eliminate internal bullying or “risk further action”.
The NSW workplace health and safety regulator is ordering the Royal Australasian College of Physicians to protect its employees and members against bullying, following months of inner turmoil at the board level.
This comes in the leadup to the RACP’s fifth extraordinary general meeting in six months. The latest vote will potentially remove current president Professor Jennifer Martin from her role one month ahead of schedule.
SafeWork NSW described the college’s work, health and safety systems as “inadequate”, with current operations not sufficient to quash or reduce exposure to bullying behaviours.
If the college does not follow these directions, SafeWork NSW has threatened further action.
“Some workers and/or volunteers have reported, and the constitution demonstrates, that the current pathway is inadequate for holding all workers and all volunteers accountable for behaviours that have the potential to cause harm,” the SafeWork notice says.
This SafeWork action is not expected to interfere with the upcoming RACP EGM and elections and is not directly related to the recent board request for the ACNC to suspend or remove college board members.
The request to the charity regulator has since been rejected.
“The independence of the sector appropriately means the ACNC does not take an active role in mediating or resolving internal disputes, including conflicts at board level,” ACNC commissioner Sue Woodward said in a letter to the RACP CEO.
“At this time I am of the view that it is more appropriate for the College to engage directly with its members, allowing them to consider the removal of individuals from, or election to, the College’s Board based on their judgement of what is in the best interests of the College.”
Incoming RACP president Dr Sharmila Chandran told The Medical Republic that SafeWork NSW’s involvement with the RACP is ensuring accountability.
“We have no lack of policies. It’s just a matter of being accountable to them at the end of the day,” Dr Chandran told TMR.
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“We all know how we should be acting in the workplace and it comes from the top.
“Once your actions follow your words, that’s how you change culture.
“If your actions are not aligned to the words you’re saying, you’re never going to bring change.
“We have policies … we need to believe them and enact them. It’s the action that’s been missing all the time.
“We can have all … the policies in the world, it’s a matter of the leadership starting.”
