Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath threatens to sack North West Hospital and Health Service board

The entire board of a Queensland hospital and health service has been told to explain why they shouldn’t all be sacked over their management of local health services.

The entire board of the North Western Queensland Hospital and Health Service has been told to explain why they shouldn’t all be sacked over their management of local health services.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said concerns had been raised around governance and financial management at North West HHS.

“The action I have taken today asks the board to show cause as to why they should not be dismissed and an Administrator appointed,” Ms D’Ath said.

“Ensuring the delivery of sustainable health services to the North West Queensland community is a priority.”

North West HHS recorded an $8 million operating deficit in 2019-20.

It’s latest annual report said the executive was working closely with the Health Department on strategies to address the underlying deficit, recognising the “complex financial challenges” in operating remote hospital and health services in western Queensland.

Mt Isa Base Hospital falls under the jurisdiction of the Western Queensland Hospital and Health Service.

The North West HHS services around 32,000 people in north western Queensland and the Gulf of Carpentaria and governs the Cloncurry, Doomadgee, Julia Creek, Mornington Island, Mount Isa and Nomanton hospitals and a number of health centres.

It is one of 16 HHS boards in Queensland, which manage the state’s health services and report to the Health Minister.

Eleven of Queensland’s 16 HHSs recorded losses in 2019-20, despite just one planning for a loss.

Opposition health spokeswoman Ros Bates said sacking an entire board of health executives suggested the government was “losing control of Queensland’s healthcare system”.

“The people of North Western Queensland deserve better,” she said.

“Lives are on the line and the State Government can’t even manage the basics of our health system.”

Traeger MP Robbie Katter, of Katters Australian Party, slammed the government’s decision, and blamed their “underfunding” of health for problems in the local community.

“In my experience the overwhelming number of issues impacting health service access and outcomes are a case of the local hospitals being grossly under-funded, as opposed to any suggestions of mismanagement,” he said.

Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

“The chronic under-funding of dialysis services, lack of an in-patient mental health facility and doctor and nursing staff shortages have absolutely nothing to do with governance by the NWHHS and everything to do with decisions made by the government.”

He said the NWHHS was not block funded, relying on volume of population, which had impacts of the “sparsely-populated but socially-challenged” region.

“I’m concerned that instead of simply funding the service properly, the Palaszczuk Labor Government is seeking to lay the blame for the myriad health problems faced in the North West at the feet of the board,” Mr Katter said.