NT Health department bosses across the Territory set to be sacked this week

The executive director of the Top End’s health service has outlined why senior doctors will be forced to reapply for their jobs. SEE WHAT SHE SAID.

THE Territory Government has confirmed NT Health is being restructured and senior doctors will need to reapply for their jobs, in a move described by the Australian Medical Association (AMA) as ‘sackings’.

Senior doctors holding roles such as directors of surgery, medicine, maxillofacial surgery, paediatrics, anaesthetics and the directors of emergency departments, as well as multiple others, will be required to reapply for their positions.

In a statement, a Health Department spokeswoman said the restructure would allow “amazing new leaders” within NT Health to apply for the roles.

“We believe they need to be given the opportunity to step up and engage others, drive innovation, shape new systems and achieve outcomes,” the spokeswoman said.

“The only fair and transparent way to do this is by opening up the assignment of these Head of Department roles to an expression of interest.

Senior doctors at both the Palmerston Regional Hospital and the Royal Darwin Hospital will need to apply for leadership roles. Picture: Justin Kennedy

“Incumbents will be welcome to apply but we need to support our emerging leaders to have a go.”

Under the ‘Better Together’ program, the Top End and Central Australian health services are being merged.

It is unclear why senior doctors would need to renominate for their hospital positions under this merger.

It is understood no ‘position spills’ are happening at the Alice Springs Hospital.

NT Health’s Top End regional executive director Allison Grierson also addressed staff in an internal email on Tuesday, saying the rearranging of divisions was “to make sure they are the right size and configuration”.

“It is not about targeting clinicians or doctors,” Ms Grierson said.

Sources first told the NT News on Monday that every departmental head within the Royal Darwin and Alice Springs hospitals would face a “position spill” in coming days.

The position spill is understood to be occurring at the Royal Darwin Hospital this Thursday.

AMA NT president Robert Parker went public with the news on Tuesday morning.

ASMOF NT presidehnt Dr Thomas Fowles and AMA NT president Dr Robert Parker. Picture: Julianne Osborne

Dr Parker, who is the head of psychiatry at the RDH, said the move was being planned by NT Health chief executive Frank Daly for Thursday.

“It’s going to have a major effect on morale,” he said.

“It looks like it’s punishing medical staff for 15 years of health system neglect by various governments and health system bureaucracy.”

Dr Parker said the changes came at the wrong time, given pressure on the bulk-billing system and a new wave of Covid-19 infections.

“It’s very poorly timed and it’s going to have a major impact on morale in the health system when it needs to be very strong to deal with all these increased pressures.”

Acting Health Minister Nicole Manison defended the changes, saying it would help modernise the department.

“The chief executive of health is doing a restructure of the executive and senior leadership teams at Royal Darwin and Palmerston Hospitals,” Ms Manison said.

“This is happening as part of NT Health’s integration to build a modern, dynamic and sustainable health system.”

CLP health spokesman Bill Yan has expressed alarm at the changes. Picture: Floss Adams.

Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation NT president Thomas Fowles said he was unaware of the changes but was seeking an urgent explanation from government.

“I am extremely concerned about these reports,” Dr Fowles said.

“The health department need to clarify what their plans are.

“I will be writing to Frank Daly and the Minister to clarify what their plans are and explain to the doctors ... why this is necessary and helpful.”

Insiders said any move to sack “middle management” positions such as the head of emergency departments would not solve issues within NT Health, saying the problems faced within hospital stemmed from chronic underfunding by successive Territory and federal governments.

CLP health spokesman Bill Yan said he was “most concerned” about the potential for instability within NT hospitals during a time of extreme pressure.

“It’s not a good time to be throwing our health services into disarray with possible changes to the senior leadership of health,” Mr Yan said.

“The issue that everyone is saying is that they’re understaffed, they’re all working double shifts.

“There’s not people out in the bush, in the clinics out there. People are being sent to Alice Springs.”

Originally published as NT Health department bosses across the Territory set to be sacked this week