Wide Bay Health Service denies RTI refusals, despite contrary evidence

A state MP’s claim a right to information request was denied has escalated and he has attacked the Bundaberg Hospital’s governing body as it insists it has handed over the findings of an internal investigation.

The WBHHS have continued to stand by claims they approved all Right to Information requests submitted Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett despite documents proving otherwise.Â

A state MP has ramped up his attack on the transparency of Bundaberg Hospital, claiming a request for information following a probe after a patient’s death in 2021 was rejected and producing papers to back up the claim.

The hospital’s governing body has doubled down and continued to state it had not rejected any right to information requests from the Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett.

On Tuesday, March 19, The LNP member announced he was calling for an external and independent investigation into the Bundaberg Hospital following claims serious allegations of patient harm, and a patient’s death, had gone unanswered.

The MP said right to information requests submitted by his office to the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service were rejected.

“Requests for RTIs have been denied and information regarding who conducted the previous review has been redacted,” he said.

“It’s time to stop the spin and put an end to the cover-ups.”

In response, a spokesperson for the WBHHS refuted the claim information requests were denied.

“All of Mr Bennett’s Right to Information (RTI) requests have been approved by Wide Bay HHS,” the spokesperson said.

“There are no outstanding RTIs that have been denied.”

LNP Burnett MP Stephen Bennett claimed the internal investigation into patient harm allegations at the Bundaberg Hospital were not substantial.

This publication sighted a right to information request submitted by Mr Bennett, which had been rejected by the health service.

The application, dated September 9 last year, sought access to a report following an investigation into the medication management on wards in the hospital.

The subject matter was believed to be in relation to a 2021 internal investigation commissioned by the health service.

The rejection, dated October 24 last year, revealed a 17-page health service document had been identified within the scope of the application.

However, Mr Bennett’s access to this document was rejected on the grounds it could “prejudice an individual’s right to privacy” and “on balance, be contrary to the public interest to prejudice an individual’s right to privacy”.

When contacted with the above information, the health service maintained its stance that all right to information requests from Mr Bennett’s office were approved.

“Staff privacy considerations prevent us from sharing information about confidential HR matters,” a spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said “all RTIs related to the health service investigation have been shared”.