Patient groups organise rally to protest Wide Bay health service chief executive’s sacking
A rally has been organised to protest the abrupt sacking of Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service chief executive Adrian Pennington, with patient advocates demanding he be reinstated.
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OUTRAGED patient advocates will protest the sacking of senior Queensland public hospital executive Adrian Pennington at a rally on Thursday, demanding his reinstatement.
Mr Pennington has been terminated “effective immediately” from his $450,000-a-year post as Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service chief executive after seven years in the job.
Why was health service CEO Adrian Pennington sacked?
Wide Bay Hospital Health Service CEO Adrian Pennington terminated
People who have spoken to him since Monday’s decision say he is “gutted”.
The Courier-Mail understands tensions have been high between Mr Pennington and Wide Bay HHS board chair Peta Jamieson since a social media post he made in July, which was later removed.
He took leave for personal reasons but since his return to work, the relationship between the pair has been further tested.
Former Wide Bay HHS board chair Dominic Devine said Ms Jamieson’s dismissal of Mr Pennington “didn’t pass the pub test”.
“I know Peta and I absolutely respect her. I’m really surprised that she made the decision she made,” Mr Devine said.
“I used to butt heads with the guy but he’s very, very good at his job and very passionate about it.
“The annual report was released last week. It was the best performing health service in the state.”
Ms Jamieson said she had every confidence before making the decision to terminate Mr Pennington’s contract that she had the majority support of her board.
The dismissal has angered patient advocates.
Bundaberg man Gary Hondow, whose son Dallas, 11, has a rare genetic condition, said Mr Pennington had been very patient-focused.
“I just can’t understand how a chief executive that is exceptional in everything that he does, just instantaneously gets the sack. It boggles the mind. I think Adrian needs to be reinstated.”
He’s joined forces with Beryl Crosby to organise a rally at 4pm on Thursday in the park across the road from Bundaberg Hospital.
Ms Crosby said Mr Pennington had turned the Wide Bay health service around since taking the helm in 2012.
Wide Bay takes in Bundaberg, Hervey Bay and Maryborough hospitals.
“Adrian Pennington has done such a good job,” Ms Crosby said.
“He’s done so much up here to make things better. He was passionate, a change maker. “
Rural patient advocate Justine Christerson said she was “bitterly disappointed about the termination of a wonderful man who has improved services greatly for the Wide Bay area”.
“It’s not often you meet a CEO who genuinely means it when they say: ‘I will fix it and please come to me with any further issues’,” she said.
“With many awards, much recognition, dedication to patient-centred care, ears that listen and a passion for improved health services and increased access to specialist services, this man deserves much better treatment than this.”
Ms Jamieson said the board valued engagement with the community and she would “be happy” to meet with patient advocates to discuss their concerns about Mr Pennington’s termination.
“However there will be some private and confidential aspects I won’t be at liberty to discuss with them,” she said.
Attempts to contact Mr Pennington have also been unsuccessful.
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