SA Health boss dresses down staff over hijacked #DontBeLikeUs hashtag

Staff were quick to hijack a top SA Health boss’s social media campaign but now she’s issued a blunt internal message in return.

A top SA Health executive has admonished staff for criticising the department on social media, reminding them of their responsibilities as public servants.

Chief executive of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network Lesley Dwyer called on staff to promote the good work being done rather than complaining about problems publicly.

She took particular umbrage at the use of a hashtag – she has been promoting #BeLikeUs as a cultural call to improvement, but this was tweaked to #DontBeLikeUs on one Twitter post.

The spat appears to have been sparked by a Twitter comment by a senior Royal Adelaide Hospital cardiac electrophysiologist Professor Prash Sanders complaining that new monitors had not been approved, which quickly became a thread as other clinicians added their complaints.

Central Adelaide Local Health Network CEO Lesley Dwyer. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

The original tweet included: “We are still wasting our time filling paperwork as not approved for standard use!! #WastingClinicianTime @LesleyDwyerCEO.”

Former mental health boss John Mendoza who has harshly criticised the health system joined the discussion with the comment: “Could not run a chook raffle.”

In response to some of the comments the Prof Sanders added: “I was trying to highlight how much in the dark ages our administrators are keeping us. Failure to act should not be tolerated and leads to poor patient outcomes.”

Since that online discussion, other tweets by the doctor include: “We have a health system in crisis with no answers!”

And also “Someone is not doing their job #DontBeLikeUs.”

Hey @SAHealth - what is the difference between monitors below? Left-old 3G monitor; Right-current 4G monitor - introduced Feb19. No diff in $$. We are still wasting our time filling paperwork as not approved for standard use!! #WastingClinicianTime@[e-mail]/vLt4mYb6Fp

— Prash Sanders (@PrashSanders) May 19, 2021

Could not run a chook raffle. https://t.co/XkmFX8XMwM

— John Mendoza (@johno0910) May 19, 2021

Until we get bureaucrats to LISTEN to science, UNDERSTAND the importance of innovation and science and actually READ the studies, PATIENTS will continue to suffer.

— Dr. Kevin Campbell, MD FACC (@DrKevinCampbell) May 19, 2021

In a bulletin to staff Ms Dwyer called for criticism to be kept in-house.

“I know that many of us use social media — I do — and it is great to see the promotion of the wonderful work that takes place across CALHN,” she wrote.

“Occasionally though we can get caught up in comments or a thread that borders on crossing the line of what is expected from us as professionals and the rules by which we sign up to as public servants.

“But I know as an organisation we are not perfect and sometimes frustration gets the better of us but I was a bit disappointed to see the # changed to #Don’tBeLikeUs!!!

“I am sorry that some of you feel this way but I would prefer that when issues arise and irritate that we can raise them within CALHN rather than through a broad social media discussion.

“Be proud of what is good here and be part of the solution within our organisation.”

The call to curb public criticism follows SA Ambulance Service chief executive David Place alluding to possible action by the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption against staff who make public statements without permission.

This earned a swift public rebuke from Commissioner Ann Vanstone QC who said his comments were “unhelpful”.

“Although it is true to say that public officers should abide by the code of conduct applicable to their employment, it is unhelpful for senior public officers to invoke the name of ICAC in an attempt to control the behaviour of their staff,” she said.