Health boss who led world-class Covid response facing the axe
SA’s most senior health bureaucrat, who oversaw the state’s world-leading Covid response, is facing the axe.
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South Australia’s most senior health bureaucrat is facing the axe as new Premier Peter Malinauskas prepares a clean-out of the public service’s top ranks.
SA Health chief executive, Chris McGowan, is in the firing line despite having more than two years left on his $586,290 a-year contract as head of the $7.85bn medical system.
Mr Malinauskas is poised to sack some public sector chiefs as he moves to implement an ambitious agenda after securing a landslide election win.
Senior government sources said Dr McGowan, the second highest paid bureaucrat who started in 2018, is among those on “borrowed time”.
Mr Malinauskas, who appoints all public service chiefs, last night failed to issue a public statement of confidence.
He has declared “renewal is important”. A decision will be made in coming days after the new Cabinet is sworn in on Thursday.
With his tenure under a cloud after Saturday’s poll, sources say Dr McGowan’s decision to keep secret an elective surgery ban on Friday was a major tipping point.
“He did himself no favours,” one well-placed source said.
It is understood the Labor administration did not give Dr McGowan, a former private sector health boss, his marching orders on Monday because officials wanted up-to-date health and Covid briefings.
Dr McGowan, who will receive a lucrative payout if sacked, refused to comment.
Mr Malinauskas was left unhappy on Monday after Dr McGowan told him during a marathon briefing about halting non-urgent surgery.
This was due to significant system pressures mostly at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Flinders Medical Centre.
Dr McGowan, 62, contradicted Mr Malinauskas on Tuesday when he claimed the ban was at one Local Health Network but he could not remember which one.
“Throughout caretaker mode I took the policy of minimising any controversial announcements,” he said.
Incoming Health Minister Chris Picton said appointments were for the Premier.
“I have welcomed discussions so far with Chris McGowan and other executives of the team,” he said.
SA Health has faced criticism over ambulance ramping, hospital overcrowding, a sluggish Covid booster vaccine program and unprecedented mental health demand.
But Dr McGowan, who sat on the Transition, Directions and Covid-Ready Committees, oversaw SA Health’s world-leading pandemic response.
He spent more than a decade leading Silver Chain, which manages the Royal District Nursing Service. He faced repeated questions about his links with his former employer that prompted an independent investigation which found no conflict of interest, but recommended Dr McGowan undergo chief executive training and keep better records.
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