Union proposes radical overhaul of Qld Health

A powerful union has called for a major shake-up of the bureaucratic structure in Queensland’s Health Department.

The ETU's Peter Ong. Picture: Liam Kidston

A powerful union has called for a major shake-up of the bureaucratic structure in Queensland’s Health Department, demanding each individual hospital and health service (HHS) board be disbanded and replaced by a centralised management model.

A motion supported by party delegates at the Labor State Conference in Mackay at the weekend noted “the failure of some HHS boards and a management to appropriately deliver services”.

Electrical Trades Union secretary Peter Ong, who moved the motion, said the management structure at Queensland Health was put in place to streamline the delivery of health services
in Queensland.

“And, to date, we believe they’ve done exactly the opposite,” he told the conference in Mackay.

“These autonomous bodies that act in the regions – they don’t listen to each other, they don’t listen to the Minister or the DG (Director-General), and we have a huge difficulty with them when we’re trying to negotiate EAs (enterprise agreements).”

Australian Workers’ Union’s Joseph Kaiser said his union didn’t necessarily support the structure overhaul, but supported the government sacking boards who didn’t appropriately deliver services.

“This government has taken action against multiple rogue HHS boards who weren’t delivering for Queenslanders or their workers,” he said.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said: “Our hospital boards are there to work with the community to ensure that we are spending our hard-working taxpayer dollars on healthcare that is needed for local communities.”