Jargon makes Roy's blood boil

Former health industry worker Roy Anderson wants better answers from the NSW Government.

Crystal Spencer

RETIRED health worker Roy Anderson was so incensed by a news report that the North Coast Area Health Service was axing 400 jobs in a bid to pay $7.4 million in bills owed to local businesses that he fired off aletter to NSW Deputy Premier and Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt.

What then made his blood really boil was the response.

Rather than have her ministerial staff reply, Ms Tebbutt forwarded the letter, which specifically complained about North Coast Area Health Service CEO Chris Crawford, to Mr Crawford.

His response was couched in his trademark health administration jargon.

“There’s no point in writing to the Minister for Health,” said Mr Anderson yesterday. “It’s just been replied to by the person in charge of the group I’m complaining about.”

Mr Anderson had been infuriated by comments Mr Crawford made in the Tweed Daily News last September that $7.4 million was owed by the area health service to local businesses because of high staffing costs.

Mr Crawford said the issue would be resolved once the service finished axing 400 jobs from North Coast hospitals.

Mr Anderson said that was just bad management and he wrote to Ms Tebbutt to say so.

“In my working life there was a period when I was employed by the largest private hospital and nursing home group,” he said in his letter. “There were times when it was a struggle to pay the bills. In that 22 years with the same company no employee was ever sacked to pay bills.”

Mr Anderson went on to question government budget priorities and argue “health should come before anything”.

He said he was disgusted that Ms Tebbutt had asked Mr Crawford to reply and that his response was “full of spin”.

“NCAHS like other Area Health Services is reviewing all expenditure to analyse where economies may be made,” Mr Crawford said.

“The reorganisation of staff within the NCAHS is being carried out to improve the efficient delivery of services,” he added.

Comments which also angered Mr Anderson included: “Clinical services have been benchmarked and ratios examined to determine where existing services can continue to be provided with less staff.”

“What does that mean?” asked Mr Anderson.

“You would not let things get to the state where you have to put people off.”