Details of the investigation into the MLHD Mental Health Drug Alcohol unit management have been kept under wraps. Photo: Region.
A review into alleged racism and other alleged misconduct by Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) Mental Health Drug and Alcohol unit management is expected to be finalised by mid-February.
Last year, the Health Services Union (HSU) conducted a six-month investigation into the NSW Government entity and submitted a report to Health Minister Ryan Park on 9 December 2024.
“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,” HSU NSW secretary Gerard Hayes said in an email to members.
This prompted the MLHD to engage former Industrial Relations commissioner and dispute management specialist Janice McLeay to conduct a review into the serious allegations.
“All members are encouraged to speak to Ms McLeay if they have seen any of the behaviour mentioned above,” Mr Hayes wrote.
Ms McLeay told Region: “Lots of people have talked to me and I’m working on putting the information together”.
She declined to provide any further details on her review.
NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park was given a copy of the union investigation. Photo: Ryan Park Facebook.
An email sent by an MLHD manager to staff earlier this month said Ms McLeay’s interviews of staff were completed between Monday 6 January and Friday 10 January.
“We hope to finalise the review in mid-February and then commence work on the themes and information you have provided,” the email stated.
Region asked MLHD if the person/persons being investigated over these serious allegations had been stood down during Ms McLeay’s review or were still in their role/s, but the MLHD refused to respond.
Region also asked whether the MLHD had taken any action to protect the safety and welfare of mental health clients during the review, but it did not answer this question either. The MLHD referred us to a statement it made last year, saying the “safety of our staff and patients is our highest priority”.
The health bureaucracy also refused to say if the findings of the review would be made public and declined to reveal how many staff were dismissed due to code of conduct breaches in the past two years.
A source who previously worked in the MLHD told Region 14 people had been dismissed for alleged code of conduct breaches in the MLHD over a 12-year period.
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.
If you know more about this story, email: [email protected]
Loading ...
