Health Minister Lawrence Springborg is “watching” the performance of senior health executives in Brisbane’s Metro North Health region after several senior staff resigned, he said on Tuesday.
Mr Springborg was questioned Tuesday as he toured new facilities at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, in the Metro South Health region.
“I am very confident that with the appointment of the acting chief executive, that this will be addressed,” Mr Springborg told reporters waiting at the hospital.
“The board chairman understands the need to do that,” he said.
“And, obviously I am watching it,” he said.
Mr Springborg defended the performance of Brisbane’s Metro North Health region, where another senior health executive resigned this week.
Dr Peter Tesar tendered his resignation from the position of executive director at the Prince Charles, Caboolture and Kilcoy Hospitals to concentrate on his work as a cardiac surgeon.
Dr Tesar will stay with the Prince Charles Hospital as a leading cardiac surgeon.
However Mr Springborg conceded there were senior management problems.
“There is no doubt there have been some issues around stability in management that has gone back a number of years,” he said.
Mr Springborg said people should not “jump to conclusions” about the decision made by individuals to move.
He said he had personally raised concerns with Metro North board chairman, Dr Paul Alexander.
“Yes, I have and he understands that there is a very strong need to overcome what has been a significant challenge going back a number of years,” he said.
“And that is why he has asked the acting chief executive Terry Mehan to come on board,” Mr Springborg said.
He said the Metro North health region included several of Brisbane largest hospitals and included more than 13,000 of Queensland Health’s 80,000 employees.
It is Queensland’s largest hospital and health region and has been thrust in the spotlight each time a senior executive had been dismissed or resigned.
“But they understand the need to stabilise and I think with the appointment of the new acting chief executive, that will address that,” he said.
Opposition health spokeswoman Jo-Ann Miller last week said the Metro North health region was in turmoil.
On October 24, the AMA expressed concerns about the changes in senior management.
AMAQ president Shaun Rudd said members had questioned the reasons behind a number of Metro North staff changes.
“Doctors are also concerned by the serious nature of current allegations at executive level relating to probity issues,” president Dr Shaun Rudd said in October.
“On their behalf, AMA Queensland intends to maintain a close watching brief on this situation, and will lobby as necessary to ensure its members commitment to upholding the highest standards of patient care is respected and supported.”
Mr Springborg said the Metro North Health region’s performance was “exemplary”.
He said when government changed in March 2012, 30 per cent of category two surgical patients were not being seen on time.
“That’s down to six per cent,” he said.
He said surgical “long waits” had been reduced from around 1900 patients to about 50 and the dental waiting list had been eliminated.
In October, the executive director of the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Dr Keshwar Baboolal, left his position.
In September – in unrelated matters – two other senior executives were suspended and referred to the Crime and Corruption Commission.
Source: Brisbane Times