Latrobe Regional Health accused of gagging staff from speaking out about ‘concerns’

Staff at Latrobe Regional Health say they are being gagged from speaking out about “major concerns” after a strict memo ordered them not to speak to the media without approval.

Latrobe Regional Health has rejected accusations of secrecy. Picture: Latrobe Regional Hospital

Staff at Latrobe Regional Health say they are being gagged from speaking publicly about “major concerns” they have about Gippsland’s biggest regional hospital after a strict memo ordered no one to speak to the media without approval.

However, the hospital management rejected the secrecy accusation, saying it was simply reminding staff of the organisation’s media policy to assist the communications team.

On Friday, the memo from CEO Don McRae was sent out to all staff “about the steps you should take if approached by a journalist or media representative”.

“LRH’s Media Contact Policy ... advises you to decline any request for a statement or comment on behalf of the hospital and refer the media representative to either the Executive or General Manager of Strategy and Engagement.”

The media warning comes after multiple hospital insiders have raised concerns with the Herald Sun, and other publications, about treatment and staffing shortages within the facility.

In February the Herald Sun reported that staff had concerns of “gross mismanagement” of taxpayer funds over a plan to pay anaesthetists $10,000 a day.

In March the Herald Sun revealed that clinicians had reported concerns to the state watchdog Safer Care Victoria over the handling of seven patient’s cases, including four deaths clinicians said were avoidable.

Staff at Latrobe Regional Health say they are being gagged from speaking publicly about ‘major concerns’. Picture: David Caird

SCV ruled the deaths were not avoidable but classified them as adverse events and requested the hospital to make changes.

In the wake of the report, Latrobe Regional Health chief executive Don McRae called a press conference slamming the story.

However, public event again prompted a volley of emails from staff to multiple media outlets from staff saying there was a culture of secrecy and management not addressing issues.

In response to the latest media policy reminder several staff leaked the email to the media.

One clinician told the Herald Sun that management “lacks accountability and are choosing to deny issues rather than address them.”

“Now their fix is to scare us into not talking at all,” they said.

A Latrobe Regional Health spokesman said: “Our Media Contact Policy is there to support staff and ensure they have the help and advice of our experienced communications team in any engagement with the media”.

When the state health minister was asked whether there was concerns about the operation of the hospital, a Victorian government spokesperson said: “We’re making sure people across the Latrobe Valley get the world-class healthcare they need without travelling – opening the $223.5m redevelopment of the hospital this year, which delivered expanded maternity services, new emergency department facilities and new theatres to deliver more surgery.

“The recent Budget also invested a $44m into the hospital to operationalise the new expanded facilities, including 44 inpatient beds, 14 medical and surgical beds, a new emergency department resuscitation bay and a medical imaging pathology unit online.”