The Palaszczuk Labor Government has been caught out ignoring ongoing warnings for months that it’s digital hospital rollout – the Integrated Electronic Medical Record (IEMR) – system has been completely mismanaged.

LNP Leader Deb Frecklington has called on Labor’s embattled Health Minister to explain his actions given today’s scathing Auditor-General report.

“Once again Annastacia Palaszczuk’s Health Minister has been caught out on a cover-up and playing politics with patient care,” Ms Frecklington said.

“We called for the rollout to be halted until the technical issues can be resolved and for Dr Ashby to be stood down while under CCC investigation.

“Neither of those things happened and despite these issues, the program was actually fast-tracked.

“This is despite doctors losing confidence, regular system outages and the head of e-Health Queensland being subject to an ongoing CCC investigation for months.”

Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said the LNP raised concerns about this program in 2017 and on several occasions in the last few months in the media and the Parliament.

“Both the Premier and the Minister knew about these issues and failed to take any action,” Ms Bates said.

“In fact, when asked about the program in September, Health Minister Steven Miles labelled it an ‘incredible success.’

“This is a Minister who clearly has no idea and shouldn’t be in charge of our public health system, he is a proven liar and his priorities are all wrong.

“He would rather waste taxpayers money changing the names of hospitals than improve the care of our sickest kids.

“Today’s damning report is yet another reason why Annastacia Palaszczuk needs to show some leadership and sack this incompetent Minister.

“Speaking as a nurse, this has all the hallmarks of another health payroll debacle, except this time patient care is at risk.”

Background:

Questions asked to Premier and Minister on 1 November 2018:

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/hansard/2018/2018_11_01_WEEKLY.pdf

Speech by Ros Bates, 1 November 2018:

http://tv.parliament.qld.gov.au/?reference=0Mba20181101_144844