Qld Health boss Shaun Drummond to stand down after whistleblower scandal
A note to staff from Queensland Health Director-General Shaun Drummond after news of his resignation has been revealed. His departure comes after criticism of proposed changes to whistleblower laws.
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Queensland Health boss Shaun Drummond has announced his resignation from the high-profile role just eight months into his tenure.
His departure was announced by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Wednesday morning.
In a subsequent statement to departmental staff, Mr Drummond said it was “with sadness” that he was sharing news of his resignation.
“This has been a matter I have been considering for the last few weeks,” he wrote.
But Mr Drummond does not say why, instead listing a set of achievements over the past few months. His term in the top job was slated to go for five years, until October 2027.
His departure comes after criticism over proposed changes to whistleblower laws.
Mr Drummond thanked Health Minister Shannon Fentiman and declared his support for her plan.
“I fully support the Minister’s plan, which is right for Queensland and right for the health system,” Mr Drummond wrote.
“I wish you all well in our very important work, and once again, thank you for everything you do daily to support the health and wellbeing of Queenslanders.”
Ms Palaszczuk’s announcement on Wednesday morning came around the same time as Ms Fentiman held a media conference, during which she asserted her confidence in Mr Drummond.
“I have confidence with the director general and as I said so far the department have been responsive to my priorities as a new minister in terms of tackling ambulance ramping and crashes on our hospital system,” she said.
The Premier said Mr Drummond informed her via a letter that he would leave his role.
She said his decision was “his own” and the reasons for his departure “were a matter for him”.
“He sent me a letter advising me,” she said — although couldn’t say exactly when, saying “I’ll have to check … I think it was yesterday (Tuesday).
Ms Palaszczuk said Mr Drummond had done “an excellent job”.
“I thank him for the extraordinary work he has provided to the people of Queensland,” she said. “It is a very very difficult job and he has served very well in that position.”
It’s understood Mr Drummond’s last day in the role will be July 23, meaning he will exit before facing a grilling at estimates.
Opposition health spokeswoman Ros Bates lashed Mr Drummond’s exit as a sign of the “chaos and crisis” of the government, saying Queenslanders were “paying a very high price for it”.
“In the middle of the Queensland Health crisis, yet another director-general has left a critical position within the Palaszczuk Labor Government,” she said.
“This morning, Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said she had full confidence in her Director-General.
“Today, Mr Drummond has left his post. He was in the position for less than one year.”
Queensland doctors have called for a change of direction at Queensland Health after Mr Drummond’s departure.
Australian Medical Association Queensland chief Maria Boulton said the next director-general needed exceptional leadership skills and a people-first focus.
“Queensland Health workforce issues underpin all the enormous challenges faced daily in our health system. The issues at Queensland Health are bigger than one person, however, it is time to refresh the department and embrace change,” Dr Boulton said.
“AMA Queensland has been advocating for an end to the negative cultures that are highlighted every year in our Resident Hospital Health Check survey of junior doctors. Queensland Health must be accountable for system errors or our communities will never enjoy the high-quality, safe healthcare they deserve,” she said.
The AMAQ president said that hardworking doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers must be supported to do their jobs — a workforce culture that puts its people first will lead to greater retention.
“We are seeing some positive steps but the challenges ahead require a new mindset from the leadership. It is an enormous challenge, and one that requires exceptional skills. We look forward to working with the new director-general on a new way ahead for Queensland Health.”
Mr Drummond was appointed to the role by Yvette D’Ath in October last year, the former health minister saying he had led a range of operational and department roles in Queensland Health since 2011.
“He has over 20 years’ experience in the public health sector and has led in two countries, here in Australia in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, as well as in New Zealand,” Ms D’Ath said.
He was previously the chief executive of Metro North Hospital and Health Service, which employed more than 25,000 staff, with a budget of $3.5bn.
His departure comes after Mr Drummond backed away from his department’s audacious bid for new laws to muzzle journalists, saying the contribution hadn’t come from him personally and that stifling the media wasn’t the intent.
And it comes as health experts, including the AMAQ and emergency doctor Dinesh Palipana decried Queensland Health’s controversial submission to a review of the state’s whistleblower laws.
Mr Drummond had been under fire after The Sunday Mail revealed the department had called for the government to consider penalties when “inappropriate” information is released in a submission to a review of Public Interest Disclosure laws.
But Mr Drummond used a letter to the editor to distance himself, saying the submission was a “departmental one” and not personal, as made “clear in the cover letter to the review”.
He denied the submission called for whistleblowers to be penalised rather “simply provides feedback when asked specifically” about what should be added to Public Interest Disclosure laws.
“(Which) is silent on penalties for inappropriate disclosure of information to journalists, which could include patient information,” Mr Drummond said.
“Journalists play an important role in society, and stifling them was certainly not the intent of the department’s submission.”
Mr Drummond was paid $222,000 in his first 3.5 months in the role according to the latest health report data, with his predecessor earning $532,000 excluding benefits in his final full year in the role as the head of Queensland Health.
Ms Fentiman, who had been swift to shut down the department’s suggestion, on Tuesday reaffirmed her confidence in Mr Drummond as director-general.
Queensland Health’s submission stated that Public Interest Disclosure laws doesn’t “consider penalties for inappropriate disclosure of relevant information to journalists” and that the provision around disclosure to journalists could be expanded to include penalties.
Former Queenslander of the Year Dinesh Palipana recently blew the whistle on unacceptable and degrading conditions faced by patients at the Princess Alexandra Hospital spinal injuries unit.
Dr Palipana said he had witnessed media restriction in Sri Lanka where he grew up and asserted a free press was a critical part of democracy.
“As is the freedom to interact with it. It creates transparency, a check and balance,” he said.
“It is heartening to see Queensland ministers support a functional press, a key element in shaping a better future for our state.”
Dr Boulton said the department’s submission was offensive to medical professionals and a perfect example of how censoring whistleblowers exacerbated poor workplace culture.
“We are grateful Health Minister Shannon Fentiman has ruled out adopting this proposal, but we still question how it managed to make it this far through the Department,” she said.
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