Health Minister says report into Tasmanian Health Service does not exist

HEALTH Minister Michael Ferguson has been accused of either misleading the public or misleading Parliament over the existence of a report into the Tasmanian Health Service.

Health Minister Michael Ferguson

HEALTH Minister Michael Ferguson has been accused of either misleading the public or misleading Parliament over the existence of a report into the Tasmanian Health Service.

The Mercury reported last week that the State Government had been accused of secrecy over its failure to release an independent Deloitte report into new beds in the hospital system.

The report was last week labelled “Cabinet in confidence” by the state’s Health Minister, but yesterday he told Parliament it does not exist. Mr Ferguson made the statement in response to a question from Opposition Leader Rebecca White over whether he would release the “damning” report before the election.

Mr Ferguson said: “I am happy to tell this House there is no such report by Deloitte into the THS Executive sitting on my desk. There is no such report in my office. There is no report.”

However, last week when asked about the report, Mr Ferguson did not deny its existence. “The report is Cabinet in confidence and Cabinet in confidence documents are not released to ensure frank and fearless advice is given ...” he said.

Following yesterday’s denial of the report’s existence, Ms White asked Mr Ferguson if he had misled the public last week, or misled the Parliament when he said there was no report.

“I have answered that question and made it clear that there is no Deloitte report into the THS Executive, as Ms White has claimed,” Mr Ferguson said. “That work of Deloitte and the new bed implementation is ongoing.”

It is understood that at least a preliminary report has been produced.

Ms White later told media she believed the report had been completed, because Labor had been told verbal briefings had been provided to health staff. “The Health Minister can’t have it both ways here,” she said.

“Either there is a report that is Cabinet in confidence, or there’s no report as he’s now stated, it’s very confusing and in fact calls into question whether the minister is just playing silly word games to avoid scrutiny.”

Mr Ferguson said he had never stated the report was completed or received, and “it isn’t”.

“Last week, I confirmed that work has been commissioned for Cabinet as part of our New Bed Implementation Team work, and that would, as a result, be Cabinet in confidence,” he said.

Royal Hobart Hospital Medical Staff Association chairman Frank Nicklason said he was puzzled by Mr Ferguson’s comments, and “I’m sure the report exists”.

Dr Nicklason said he understood the THS Governing Council — which oversees the THS Executive, similar to a board — was briefed on the Deloitte report between two and three weeks ago.

Deloitte said it did not comment on client matters.