Statement from Shadow Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Ros Bates
Thursday January 31, 2019
“News that Dr Richard Ashby has today resigned as the CEO of eHealth Queensland is too little too late.
“Dr Ashby has overseen the bungled rollout of the Integrated electronic Medical Record system for several years, which has blown out by $256 million and clinicians’ concerns about patient safety have been ignored.
“Dr Ashby has also been subject to a lengthy Crime and Corruption Commission investigation for several months, following a Queensland Health ethical standards investigation.
“His resignation should not prevent the CCC investigation from being finalised.
“He should have been stood down from his $615,000 a year role pending that investigation, but Health Minister Steven Miles failed to show any leadership.
“Minister Miles should also be handing in his resignation today over this failed rollout, which is just one of several major blunders on his watch.
“Mr Miles has continually denied any issues for several months and is complicit in the program’s failings.
“The LNP has called for the rollout of the program to be halted until all issues are resolved and that Cerner be barred from any future projects.
“The bungled rollout of this program has all the hallmarks of Labor’s health payroll debacle, except worse this time given the impact on patient care.”
Background (from Hansard, November 1 2018):
Source: https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/…/2…/2018_11_01_WEEKLY.pdf