Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service’s Peta Jamieson denies email wrongdoing

A high ranking Health Board member has denied any wrongdoing following revelations a private email account was used in the lead-up to the controversial sacking of the health service’s former CEO. This is what we know.

Discussion of alleged reputational damage which led to the high-level sacking of a Queensland Health Service CEO was communicated via a private Gmail account, new documents have revealed.

The use of private emails Queensland public service employees for government business is prohibited by government policy under The Queensland Government’s Private Email Use Policy issued in March 2018.

The use of private emails in this way has been a topic of scrutiny since revelations that State MPs, including Transport Minister Mark Bailey, had used private accounts in 2017 for government business. Mr Bailey was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Documents released to the Bundaberg NewsMail after a Right to Information Request show Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service Board Chair Peta Jamieson used an email address from her private business Luminous Projects in the lead-up to the controversial sacking of former WBHHS CEO Adrian Pennington in 2019.

It has been reported Mr Pennington suffered a “mental health” episode which led to the email exchange and his subsequent sacking.

Luminous Project Services is a consultancy owned by Ms Jamieson.

It has been reported Wide Bay Health Service CEO Adrian Pennington (left) suffered a “mental health” episode which led to the email exchange and his subsequent sacking by WBHHS Board Chair, Peta Jamieson.

The documents, supplied to the NewsMail, show a September 19, 2019, email from the account to Mr Pennington “detailing the matters Karen (Prentice) and I wished to discuss with you (Mr Pennington) on behalf of the Board”.

Karen Prentice is the chair of the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Board’s Audit and Risk Committee.

The email told Mr Pennington the board was not looking to take disciplinary action against him, but to instead meet with him to discuss “how we can best protect the reputation of the Health Service”.

It divulged a number of anonymous “complaints” written against Mr Pennington were received by the WBHHS board, the Director General and the Minister’s Office.

In a statement to the NewsMail Ms Jamieson denied any wrongdoing saying she “consistently” followed guidelines.

Documents released under Right to Information revealed Wide Bay Health and Hospital Board Peta Jamieson used a private email address in communication with former CEO Adrian Pennington in the leadup to his controversial sacking. Ms Jamieson has denied any wrongdoing.

“Following a memo from Queensland Health’s Director-General on 4 December, 2020, asking Board members to follow Queensland Government’s Private Email Use, our Board transitioned to use of Queensland Health email addresses,” Ms Jamieson said.

“Prior to this advice, whether Board members were covered had not been confirmed.”

Ms Jamieson said she moved to a department email address following the memo.

“This transition was completed in February 2021 and since that time I have consistently followed the guidelines and conducted Wide Bay HHS correspondence and Board business via my Queensland Health email address,” she said.

“On occasions where someone has contacted me via my private address, I have followed procedures to log the communication and take appropriate action.

Wide Bay Health and Hospital Service chair Peta Jamieson said she stopped using the private email account and moved to a government one following a memo from Queensland Health’s Directore-General in 2020 asking board members to follow the State Government’s private email use policy.

“Prior to this email policy being confirmed and in place, there were times that I used a private email address for Board Chair correspondence as it provided quick access and enabled timely correspondence.

“I ceased this practice when the email policy came into place.”

Despite this advice being issued a Queensland Health spokesman said board members are not “strictly” employees.

“The Public Service Commission Private Email Use Policy (effective 20 March 2018) is for public service employees,” a spokesman said.

“Hospital and Health Board members are not strictly considered public service employees, however it is not unusual for members to comply with a number of public service employee policies.

“In this instance, Queensland Health’s Ethical Standards Unit provided advice to the Director-General at the time regarding the use of personal email addresses for HHB members.

“The advice provided was to minimise risk to both the individual and the department, as well as ensure appropriate record keeping was maintained.”

In July 2022 the Queensland Industrial Court rejected claims by Mr Pennington his sacking had been unfair or in “bad faith”.