Why was health service CEO Adrian Pennington sacked?

A state hospital executive who was unexpectedly terminated from his $450k-a-year job after seven years in the role had a tense relationship with board members after he wrote a series of social media posts earlier this year.

S ENIOR Queensland public hospital executive Adrian ­Pennington has been sacked from his $450,000-a-year job after more than seven years in the role.

The Courier-Mail understands Mr Pennington’s ­contract as the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service chief executive was terminated ­“effective immediately” after irreconcilable differences developed between him and members of the HHS board.

Chief Executive Officer at Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service Adrian Pennington.

Tensions have been high since Mr Pennington wrote a series of social media posts in July, which have since been ­removed. He took leave, but relationships with board members have deteriorated since his ­return.

In a brief statement, Wide Bay HHS board chair Peta Jamieson said that Debbie Carroll – the Bundaberg Hospital Redevelopment executive director – would ­assume the role of acting chief executive until a replacement was found.

“The board wishes to emphasise the ongoing commitment to deliver the best possible health care to the Wide Bay community,” Ms ­Jamieson said in a statement yesterday.

LNP Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett said that he hoped the termination “was not politically motivated”. “How does the chair of a health board sack someone like that and not a minister?” he said.

“It just doesn’t seem to be right. Adrian Pennington’s performance has been outstanding. Compare the health districts. Wide Bay is miles ahead of anyone else.”

Mr Pennington has worked in health care for about 40 years – more than half of which has been at executive and senior management levels in hospitals and leading programs within the UK’s National Health Service.

He was recently elected chair of the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association board, the national peak body for public and not-for-profit hospitals, Primary Health Networks and community and primary healthcare services.

Mr Pennington was expected to fulfil the role along with his responsibilities as Wide Bay HHS chief executive. In March 2018, he was named the national healthcare chief executive of the year as part of the Australian Healthcare Week Excellence Awards in Sydney.

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said that the decision to terminate Mr Pennington’s contract was made by the Wide Bay HHS board chair Ms Jamieson.

Mr Pennington could not be contacted yesterday.