HEALTH, NON-OPERATING FUNDS

In reply to Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (11 October 2010).

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts): Response by Chief Executive of the Department of Health on 11 October 2010:

'Yes, as the Minister said, we have progressively improved the controls around non-operating funds over the last two or three years. Clearly, as Mr O'Connor said, there are some residual practices that are not in accordance with our own policies. The officer concerned has been formally counselled and the matter fixed (my emphasis). As the Minister said, there has been no loss of public funds and the funds have been returned to the non-operating fund and will be used in accordance with the requirements of that particular non-operating fund.

When we first set about improving the procedures for non-operating funds, there was a great deal of concern because people were using them as virtual individual slush funds and we have totally removed that practice. This was a different matter. It was sloppy work and the person who did it will be held to account for it, but across the system the non-operating funds are managed in a far more accountable manner than they ever had been in the past.'

Further response:

This statement was based on verbal advice received in the chamber from the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Department of Health.

The Chief Executive has now received advice from the Director, Corporate Finance that he was incorrectly advised during Estimates with regards to the statement 'that the officer/s concerned had been formally counselled'.

A letter was sent to the officers involved on 18 October 2010 and they were formally counselled on Thursday, 21 October 2010.