SA Health

In reply to the Hon. S.L. GAME ().30 May 2023).

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector): The Minister for Health and Wellbeing has advised:

Since the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC), report titled 'Troubling Ambiguity, Governance in SA Health' was handed down on 29 November 2019 under the Marshall Liberal government, the Department for Health and Wellbeing (DHW) has made progress to address the issues outlined in the report of industrial, cultural and practice reform. A program of work was developed by an inter-agency task force and delivered by Department for Health and Wellbeing.

On 29 August 2023 the ICAC published a report by the Hon. Ann Vanstone titled: 'Integrity Trade-Off: An update on Troubling Ambiguity: Governance in SA Health'.

DHW continues to work with local health networks, unions, and medical consultants to further improve the issues outlined in the reports.

Policies and procedures aimed at increasing accountability and transparency of time and attendance of the medical workforce are currently under review, noting industrial and legal considerations need to be satisfied. This includes a new job planning procedure which commenced on 1 June 2023. The procedure provides information to assist staff in understanding and preparing job plans and seeks to ensure a consistent approach across SA Health.

Among other roles and requirements, the procedure reiterates that:

1. All consultants, clinical academics, visiting medical specialists and senior medical practitioners are to have current job plans in place and that these are to be reviewed annually; and

2. That local measures will be in place, to monitor the completion and review of job plans in accordance with the industrial instruments and this procedure.

In accordance with the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 2012 (part 2, section 7.2), the commission is not subject to the direction of any person in relation to any matter.

Senior public servant salaries are reflective of role requirements, officer skills and experience to deliver role outcomes.

As per the most recent report of the Auditor-General, of the 564 SA Health staff earning more than $460,000 per year, 558 are medical officers.