Plum jobs on offer at FMC as execs quit amid chronic ramping

Huge pay packets are on offer at one of Adelaide’s struggling hospitals after top executives handed in their notice in quick succession.

Ongoing turmoil in the top ranks of southern Adelaide’s health service continues, with three plum jobs now being advertised as more top executives leave.

The Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN) is advertising three separate jobs each with annual pay of up to $267,000.

SALHN covers the Flinders Medical Centre, which has been wracked by ambulance ramping, Noarlunga Hospital and the revamped Repat health precinct.

It services a catchment with a population of about 350,000 people.

It is now advertising for a chief operating officer, a chief strategy officer and a director of health service planning.

SALHN’s new CEO, Dr Kerrie Freeman

SALHN had a revolving door in its leadership ranks for years before Dr Kerrie Freeman was appointed as chief executive in July this year. More than half of its executive team has left since Dr Freeman’s arrival.

Prior to Dr Freeman’s appointment, from a senior Queensland health job, former SALHN chief executive Susan O’Neill resigned abruptly in May last year.

Her position was filled on an interim basis by chief operating officer David Morris, but he went to a new job and chief financial officer Wayne Gadd became acting chief executive.

Sarah Woon became acting chief operating officer, John O’Connor joined as acting chief finance officer, then Matt Rooney became acting chief finance officer, and Helen Tedesco was acting executive director of governance — making all the top jobs acting positions.

Ms Tedesco, Ms Woon and also the Covid operations officer on the executive team, Sarah McRea, have all resigned recently.

Ambulances at the Flinders Medical centre. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

While executives shuffled deckchairs, frontline clinicians are struggling to cope with high patient demand and regular ambulance ramping.

Investigations by doctors’ union SA Salaried Medical Officers Association into safety conditions, revealed by The Advertiser earlier this year, highlight the situation.

A snap inspection of Flinders Medical Centre found patients being treated in chairs and allegations staff were being pressured to unload patients from ambulances and leave them in corridors to reduce ramping data.

Staff battling fatigue were quoted as saying they were being “hounded by the executive to get patients off the ramp”.

Sources have told The Advertiser the pressure on clinicians was being felt throughout Flinders Medical Centre, with stress and distress extending to non-clinical co-workers.

Dr Freeman declined to comment to The Advertiser but SA Health issued a statement confirming the multiple executive resignations and saying: “Recruitment for a Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Operating Officer at SALHN is currently underway and we are in the final stages of appointing an Executive Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health.

“We look forward to announcing the new executive team members in due course.

“As one of South Australia’s largest employers, SA Health has a workforce of more than 40,000 people and experiences resignations and staff movements within each Local Health Network. We thank our hardworking staff for their service.”