Restructuring Queensland Health
The major staff restructure at Queensland Health is now complete and savings of $16 million a year will be directed back into patient care, Health Minister Stephen Robertson said today.
Mr Robertson also told State Parliament the Beattie Government was making significant progress towards improving the workplace culture within Queensland Health.
“The massive restructure is now complete with three Area Health Services established and operating effectively as is Queensland Health’s new executive management team,” Mr Robertson said.
“As promised, we have abolished 168 corporate office positions. The majority were abolished last year with the last few cut during the past few weeks.
“This equates to savings of around $16 million a year which will be redirected to our health services.
“In addition, we have finished transferring 1,150 positions to areas and districts. This is 471 more positions than recommended in the Queensland Health Systems Review.
“These transferred positions translate to more people located closer to patient care supporting our doctors and nurses and other services delivered in local communities.”
Mr Robertson said another key feature of the new Queensland Health was the major shake-up of its workplace culture.
“A negative workplace place culture cripples an organisation, especially one as large as Queensland Health with over 50,000 employees,” he said.
“The State Government is making significant progress in this area with a new, more appropriate Code of Conduct for all Queensland Health staff now in place.
“One-hour workshops will soon be held across the state informing staff about the new principles and values of the new Code and how to treat and follow the Code.
“An on-line learning tool about the Code is also being developed for the Queensland Health internal website.
“We are also making real inroads in establishing a new Workplace Culture and Leadership Centre with a $3 million investment over two years to kick it off.
“The centre will help build workplaces where our staff want to work, where they are treated with respect, and appropriately supported to undertake their valuable work.
“Research has shown that staff attitudes and behaviours also impact significantly on our patients and clients.
“One of the centre’s first projects will be to run a Leadership Development Program that will kick off next month for the top 300 senior Queensland Health staff.
“The centre will also start a major roll-out of staff opinion surveys this month.
“Around a quarter of all staff will anonymously participate in the first round covering eight health service districts - Cairns, Mount Isa, Fraser Coast, Royal Brisbane, Bundaberg, Northern Downs, QEII and Roma.
“The information out of the surveys will be used to create better workplaces for our staff at all levels.
“All Queensland Health staff will have the opportunity to participate in the surveys over the next two years.”
Mr Robertson said all of the measures follow recommendations of the Review.
“We are determined to make ours the best health system in Australia,” he said.
“Improving our workplace culture, either in a hospital or an office building, is crucial in achieving this objective.”
