$713k: Huge salaries on offer as applications open at SA Health despite budget blowout
Fancy earning more money than the Premier? SA Health may have blown its budget by $1bn but is still offering top dollars for the best applicants for highly skilled jobs.
SA News
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
SA Health is inviting applicants for one of its toughest jobs to name their own price.
It also is offering two high-level clinical jobs at salaries of up to $713,000 a year and one for $620,000, among a host of lucrative positions as the state government tries to “fix” ramping, unclog emergency departments and deal with lengthening elective surgery queues.
The ongoing recruitment comes as the Auditor-General revealed SA Health blew its budget by almost $1bn last financial year, with salaries partly to blame.
The $956m blow out follows a $874m overspend the previous year – if the now-annual 11 per cent budget bust continues this year, the three-year total will exceed the cost of the $2.7bn Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Jobs now on offer in SA Health’s 50,000 strong workforce include the chief executive of the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN) where the advertisement does not include a salary range, instead inviting applicants to “add your expected salary” to the application.
The position reports directly to SA Health chief executive Dr Robyn Lawrence who is on a package of $698,358.
SALHN has a workforce of 9200 including at Flinders Medical Centre, Noarlunga Hospital and the Repat precinct, with a patient catchment of 370,000 people. It is responsible for some statewide services, services to those in regional areas, education, research and health promotion.
Present CEO Professor Kerrie Freeman finishes on December 15 after taking the job of CEO of Brisbane City Council on a salary reported to be up to $800,000.
A SALHN statement says it is common practice for recruitment firms to seek candidates’ remuneration package expectations.
“For executive salaries, SALHN is guided by the South Australian Executive Services (SAES) structure.
“Salaries are negotiated based on an individual’s skills and experience, as well as the scope, responsibility and complexity of the role.”
Other SA Health jobs being advertised include an interventional radiologist at Flinders Medical Centre on a salary range of $365,698 to $713,692 plus superannuation and salary sacrifice benefits.
The role includes supervision of teaching and is pro-rata, for 7.5 hours a week.
A consultant radiologist job is being advertised for interventional radiology work at the Royal Adelaide Hospital as well as supervision of teaching, on a salary range of $365,798 to $713,692 plus superannuation and salary packaging.
It is pro-rata for 30 hours a week.
SA Health also is seeking a head of unit for the Royal Adelaide Hospital Emergency Department, on a three-year contract on a pay band of $459,691 – $620,068 a year plus “large unit managerial allowance, superannuation & salary sacrifice benefits.”
As revealed by The Advertiser, joint RAH ED directors Dr Christopher Hercus and Dr Katrina Romualdez have decided not to renew their contracts for the leadership role but will stay on as consultants with SA Health.
More Coverage
Originally published as $713k: Huge salaries on offer as applications open at SA Health despite budget blowout
Alive and kicking: Why these Adelaide feet travel the world
A terrorist bombing survivor is sending her feet to support two Adelaide parents tackling the bucket list run of their murdered children.
‘Hang yourself’: Fraud, threat claims force uni election do-over
One candidate was allegedly told to “hang himself” and an entire group disqualified as part of the prestigious university’s student elections.