MLHD has a Mental Health Drug and Alcohol unit in most Riverina towns. Photo: Supplied.
The Health Services Union (HSU) has conducted an investigation into the NSW Government’s Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) Mental Health Drug and Alcohol unit management over allegations of racism and directing workers to commit unlawful acts.
According to an email HSU NSW secretary Gerard Hayes sent to members and seen by Region, the union submitted a report on its six-month investigation to NSW Health Minister Ryan Park on 9 December.
“We discovered serious concerns raised against senior management, including racism, risking workers’ safety, directing workers to commit unlawful acts, regular interference in selection panels, and misusing the performance management and code of conduct procedures to dismiss workers based on personal preference,” the email stated.
“HSU members have done great work and prevailed upon MLHD to appoint independent investigator Janice McLeay.
“All members are encouraged to speak to Ms McLeay if they have seen any of the behaviour mentioned above.”
Region asked MLHD how it responded to the report and serious allegations raised against its senior staff.
“Murrumbidgee Local Health District has initiated an independent workforce culture assessment of our Community Mental Health Drug and Alcohol services in response to concerns raised in a complaint received earlier this year. The assessment is ongoing,” a spokesperson said.
We also asked Minister Park, if he’d read the report, what action he would take in response to the accusations of racism and directing workers to commit unlawful acts.
“Murrumbidgee Local Health District has initiated an independent workforce culture assessment of our Community Mental Health Drug and Alcohol services,” Minister Park said in a statement.
Health Minister Ryan Park speaking with MLHD hospital staff in a previous visit to the Riverina. Photo: Supplied.
The MLHD Mental Health Drug and Alcohol unit is a government service that provides support such as counselling to people. The HSU represents employees of this service, such as psychologists and social workers.
Problems with MLHD management were previously raised in several submissions to a NSW rural health inquiry held in 2020 and 2021.
“It is felt that morale continues to be poor and little has been done about it by MLHD management,” Leeton Council wrote in its submission to the inquiry, in reference to the hospital in its town.
“Poor morale is partly as a result of the deskilling of staff at the hospital because the interesting work and more complex patients are increasingly being sent elsewhere. It is also fueled by constant management churn and disenfranchised management, moving goalposts, and undelivered promises about staff training. Of particular concern is staff burnout due to staff working excessive hours to cover for unstaffed rosters.”
Region asked what MLHD had done to address management issues over the past three years but did not receive a response.
We also asked how many MLHD staff were dismissed due to code of conduct breaches this past two years but the MLHD declined to answer this question as well.
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