’Face’ of nursing’s COVID fight leaves SA Health for Calvary

She gave hope and leadership at the height of the pandemic, now this top nurse is moving on from SA Health.

She became the “face” of the nursing fight against COVID, leading a team of courageous South Australian nurses deep into the pandemic heartland of Melbourne’s aged-care homes crisis last year and appearing on the cover of the Sunday Mail urging a “Call to Arms” to get vaccinated.

Now SA Health has lost another key executive with Rebecca Badcock resigning to work in the private sector with Calvary.

Central Adelaide Local Health Network Rebecca Badcock poses for a photo as part of SA Health’s coronavirus vaccination promotion campaign. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

Ms Badcock was the Central Adelaide Local Health Network’s executive director of nursing and patient experience.

Her exit follows hard on the heels of the resignation of Southern Adelaide Local Health Network chief executive Sue O’Neill, and the controversial exit of mental health boss John Mendoza.

Mr Mendoza has harshly criticised the state’s mental health system while Ms O’Neill became embroiled in allegations by SA Best MLC Connie Bonaros — flatly denied by all concerned including Ms O’Neill — that her boss SA Health chief executive Dr Chris McGowan called her a “tea lady” or a “bank teller girl”.

SA Health is one of the state’s largest employers with more than 44,000 staff.

CALHN chief executive Lesley Dwyer told staff of Ms Badcock’s resignation in March noting the agency attracts people who leave a legacy.

“I know that some of you might be thinking that this shows that we may be reverting to having instability of leadership but nothing could be further from the truth,” she told staff.

“What often happens is that other organisations see the change here at CALHN, and so our people become very ‘desirable’ and highly-sought after to provide similar value somewhere else. We should see this as progress and feel proud to be part of their next stage.”

However, Opposition health spokesman Chris Picton noted the loss to the health system comes at a time of unprecedented ramping and clogged emergency departments.

“This is another huge loss for a health system already under unprecedented pressure,” he said. “Rebecca is highly respected across the state. I want to thank Rebecca for her service at a very difficult time of COVID-19 and record ramping.

“This is great news for Calvary but awful news for our state’s major public hospitals. This is now the third loss of respected senior executives from SA Health in just six weeks.

“The combination of losing Sue O’Neill, John Mendoza and now Rebecca Badcock will be difficult to easily replace.

“We know that morale of our frontline clinicians is already suffering with regular double shifts and unrelenting pressure. Losing three respected senior leaders in such a short time will be another blow to morale.”

He called on Health and Wellbeing Minister Stephen Wade to outline what he will do to boost morale of frontline hospital clinicians.

A SA Health statement says: “As one of South Australia’s largest employers with a workforce of over 40,000 people, it’s unsurprising to see resignations within our organisation.

“To receive three resignations over the course of two months, from staff who worked in very different roles across different Local Health Networks, is not a cause for concern.”