Hospital pay cut denial

CEO’s $35,000 trim ‘all matter of timing’

CAIRNS Hospital has denied its chief executive has had a $35,000 pay cut as the health service keeps trying to decrease its multimillion-dollar debt.

The Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service’s 2017/18 annual report, which was tabled in State Parliament yesterday, shows chief executive Clare Douglas had total remuneration of $460,000 last financial year.

During 2016/17, Ms Douglas received a package of $495,000, the sixth highest paid public hospital CEO in Queensland.

CHHHS chief financial officer Steve Thacker, however, said the differences in Ms Douglas’ salary between the two years was due to “timing of allowances becoming payable”.

“The pay and conditions of the chief executive has not changed,” he said.

The report shows that CHHHS ended 2017-18 with a $19.6 million operating deficit, almost $10 million less than the forecast deficit of $29.5 million for the financial period.

In 2016, the health service was struggling with mounting debt of $80 million – the highest ever accrued by a Queensland health service.

The budget black hole resulted in the resignation of the entire health service board and is understood to have contributed to the departures of several senior executives. The report says the improved financial position has been due to the “efforts of our many staff who have identified ways to reduce waste or increase revenue.”

Mr Thacker assured there had not been any redundancies or reductions to the workforce profile of the health service – rather they had grown compared to the previous year.

“The health service is pleased with its financial results and performance for the year,” he said.

“A financial sustainability plan jointly agreed with the Department of Health is in place to ensure a return to financial balance. The health service is on track to deliver the agreed plan.”

editorial@cairnspost.com.au facebook.com/TheCairnsPost www.cairnspost.com.au twitter.com/TheCairnsPost