News Flash

Public Service Association (PSA) Senior Industrial Officers Ian Peak and Sue Cummins met with SA Health Chief Executive Mr David Swan and Mr Etienne Scheepers Executive Director Workforce, on Wednesday 11 May 2011.

LOCAL HEALTH NETWORKS (LHNs)
Mr Swan advised that weekly meetings have commenced with all unions in relation to establishing the LHNs (PSA is a party to those meetings).

The first phase has commenced with the advertising of the Chief Executive positions for the LHN's along with some reporting line changes.  The second phase is the Due-diligence process, with interim structures in place until December 2011. The third phase will be the implementing of new structures for the LHNs.

The PSA raised concerns about Allied Health participation in the leadership structures of the 3 LHN's to be established as a replacement for the Adelaide Health Service, which is being dissolved on 1 July 2011. The PSA was advised SA Health is keen for Clinical Leadership to continue with clear accountability to the CEs, but wanted the CEs to have input into any proposed structures.  The PSA stated it is important that Allied Health members continue to be represented by Allied Health at the highest levels of any executive structures.

The PSA is concerned about the potential loss of salary sacrifice benefits for staff who may work across the LHNs, existing statewide services (eg Prison Health, SA Pathology, Breastscreen SA, etc.) and services that are potentially about to go into services statewide (eg Medical Imaging, Pharmacy and Biomedical).  Mr Swan acknowledged this concern but did not consider it to be a problem as staff will remain in existing locations.  SA Health are also seeking a further ruling from the Australian Tax Office (ATO).

The PSA is having separate discussions regarding the dissolution of AHS and the impact on the Executive Structures and Support Services staff.  Some positions will no longer exist from 1 July 2011, with some reporting line changes for others.

In April 2011 the PSA was provided with a briefing in relation to establishing five (5) LHNs across the state (see brief) 

National Health Reform
SA Health has received the draft National Health & Hospitals Agreement which is to be signed by 1 July 2011.  SA Health is presently working through the document.

A Commonwealth Bill is being drafted to establish the Performance Authority role and scope, the Boards and an Independent Pricing Authority. SA Health is in dialogue with the Commonwealth regarding a number of suggested changes.

ICT Dispute
This dispute is being worked through at present. The PSA has received confirmation that positions would not be advertised externally prior to all attempts to fill vacancies internally with State Government employees being exhausted. PSA's concern was TVSPs were being offered to some staff whilst positions were being advertised in the press.  

Car parking
Mr Swan advised that consultation is continuing with all the unions, with discussions likely to commence around late June or July 2011 for the first stage. It is a State Government  Budget decision to charge commercial car parking rates for staff, patients and visitors when parking on SA Health premises.  A separate PSA brief will be out shortly updating members of the latest developments from that consultative process.

Underpayment Modbury Hospital Switchboard Operators/Administrative Officers
When Modbury Hospital translated back into Government in 2007 and it was agreed at the time that members' classifications would be brought into line with the rest of the Public Sector.  This did not occur until 30 March 2009.  Workforce are now investigating this underpayment.

Pika Wiya Health Service and Ceduna Koonibba Aboriginal Health Service Transferring into Community Control
PSA raised a number of concerns for members at these services, please see separate brief.

Next Meeting
The next meeting between the Chief Executive SA Health and the PSA is scheduled for Wednesday 10th August 2011.