Your rights at your fingertips

Transforming medicine

Medicine is a profession of extraordinary privilege and responsibility. Yet behind the veneer of professionalism, too many doctors work in unsafe environments that place them - and their patients - at risk. SafeDr exists because this must change.

Empowering you to speak up safely without sustaining career damage

SafeDr will be more than a website - it's a movement for safer, fairer, and more accountable healthcare workplaces.

Challenging employers fairly

Hospitals and other health services including general practices have been under enormous financial pressure post pandemic

Performing at your best

As a doctor, you carry a non-delegable duty to be physically and mentally fit for work, follow safe and lawful instructions, and avoid hazards, including substance misuse.

Reducing psychosocial hazards

Workplace harm isn’t just bad luck—it’s preventable. Employers must tackle common issues like stress, bias, conflict, and burnout head-on. Mental harm at work isn’t inevitable—it’s a failure of systems which predispose doctors to being targeted by patient complaints and involved in clinical incidents.

Eliminating bullying, discrimination etc.

The following behaviours are unlawful. They can result in compensable psychological and physical injuries, negatively impact on the participation and retention of doctors in the medical workforce, and attract significant penalties for employers:

Early evidence-based management

The following sections are deliberately brief because it is critical that the evidence-based treatment of any mental health condition should be determined only after a comprehensive psychiatric assessment by a clinician experienced in treating mental health conditions such as:

Assault, suicide & industrial manslaughter

Hospitals and practices are hazardous environments that require strong occupational health and safety measures to prevent physical injuries and deaths. Employers must notify regulators about serious work-related incidents, and doctors are encouraged to report hazards

Seek support, protect your career

Given the extent of WHS breaches in the health system, it is not surprising that doctors require support like other employees and contractors. 

Practical steps if you experience medical workplace abuse or a work-related mental health concern:

Click on the following links

1. Public hospital leadership must eliminate workplace abuse of doctors 
2. The best time to have a baby during a medical career
3. Doctors behaving badly on notice

Employer ignorance is not a defence 

Australia's Work Health and Safety (WHS) system, governed by the WHS Act 2011 and supporting regulations, ensures workplace safety through a clear set of duties for both employers and workers. Employers must ensure the health and safety of workers, consult on risks, and manage hazards, while workers are responsible for their own safety and cooperation in safety measures. 

2nd edition book co-authored by 

Clinical Professor Leanne Rowe AM

Every Doctor is a book that provides a transformational approach to improving the mental and physical health of doctors, fostering healthier health care workplace cultures, and promoting co-leadership in health systems reform.