Ex-SA Pathology chief Ken Barr resigns from new UK position over prostate cancer bungle findings

FORMER SA Pathology executive director Ken Barr has resigned from a senior health posting in the UK over the results of an SA inquiry into the prostate test bungle under his watch.

Sacked SA Pathology Chief Ken Barr, before leaving for the UK. Picture Dylan Coker

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FORMER SA Pathology executive director Ken Barr has resigned from a senior health posting in the UK over the results of an SA inquiry into the prostate test bungle under his watch.

SA Health sacked Mr Barr in April after the Sunday Mail revealed dozens of local men had been falsely diagnosed with prostate cancer after SA Pathology botched the testing process.

At the time, Health Minister Jack Snelling said: “If he applies for any jobs around the world, you only need Google Ken Barr and this will be all over his Google searches.”

On his departure from Adelaide, Mr Barr took up a job with the UK National Health Service.

Yesterday, he was forced to resign from the position as general manager for pathology at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust after a furore there about the results of the SA inquiry.

Leeds hospital chiefs said Mr Barr had told them about the issue but had expected to be cleared of blame by the report, so he was offered a six-month contract which began earlier this month.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals Clinical Director for Pathology Sally Lane said Mr Barr challenged the damning findings of the SA inquiry but recognised he must resign from the role.

She said he was interviewed in April and “provided good references showing he was qualified to undertake the role here in Leeds and was the preferred candidate at a competitive interview”.

“At the time of the interview Mr Barr was open and frank with the panel that his contract as executive director for SA Pathology had ended three months earlier than planned,” Dr Lane said.

“He explained that an investigation was underway about how failures in reported PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test results had been handled by SA Pathology, but he expected this would exonerate his actions. On that basis the trust offered him a six-month contract pending.

“The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare report on this matter had now been published and includes some criticism of SA Pathology’s governance and management.

“While Mr Barr is concerned there are inaccuracies in the report which may be open to challenge due to lack of supporting evidence, he has concluded that in the light of this criticism and in order to avoid any risk of damage to the reputation of Leeds Teaching Hospitals he should not continue his six-month contract as General Manager for Pathology.

“He has therefore offered his resignation with immediate effect and this has been accepted.”