Nearly three times as many staff in the Department of Health have been investigated for harassment, misuse of public resources and providing misleading and deceptive information this year so far compared with 2015-2016, previously unseen figures obtained by The New Daily reveal.

The department has launched probes against 20 staff suspected of code of conduct violations in the first 10 months of 2016-2017, according to data released under freedom of information laws.

By contrast, the federal health agency undertook just seven such investigations throughout the whole of 2015-2016.

In November, the Australian Public Service Commission revealed that misconduct cases across the entire public service rose almost 30 per cent in 2015-2016.

So far this period, the department has substantiated complaints against nine employees and is in the process of investigating eight more. Of the remaining staff, two were found to have done nothing wrong, while one resigned before a determination could be made.

During 2015-2016, just one out of the seven employees suspected of breaching department policy was cleared of wrongdoing.

A spokesperson for the Community and Public Sector Union declined to comment on the investigations.

The misconduct recorded by the department during the two years includes harassment, misuse of position, misuse of Commonwealth resources, provision of false or misleading information, lack of respect and courtesy, and lack of care and diligence.

A spokesman for Health Minister Greg Hunt would not comment, saying the issue was a matter for the department.

A Department of Health spokeswoman, citing privacy reasons, declined to elaborate on the specifics of the violations or what disciplinary sanctions, if any, were applied, but said the majority of cases related to disrespect between staff.

The spokeswoman said the sharp rise in cases was in part linked to an increase in staff numbers resulting from a reorganisation of government departments.

“There are multiple reasons for the increase in disciplinary cases, primarily as a result of increasing the staff numbers in 2015 by 28 per cent – when major program areas like Aged Care came back into Health from the Department of Social Services – due to machinery of government decisions,” she said.

The spokeswoman also cited efforts by the department to raise awareness about inappropriate behaviour as an explanation for the jump in cases.

“This process has had a heavy focus on showing respect and not accepting bad behaviour,” she said. “Encouraging and empowering staff to call [out] unacceptable behaviour has had a resulting impact on complaint numbers.”

Kim Sawyer, an honorary fellow at the University of Melbourne and a former whistleblower, said there was a need for greater transparency around public sector misconduct.

“What is occurring is a form of cultural change where both misuse of resources and bullying are now regarded as unacceptable,” he said. “That is the first step in making workplaces more acceptable. However, those who engage in misconduct are being protected by a culture of non-transparency. Confidentiality protects miscreants.”

The Australian Public Service Commission, which defines its role as promoting “high standards of integrity and conduct” across the public sector, declined to comment on the figures, citing staff conduct as a responsibility of the department.