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Leaked audit slams health IT systems

The Bligh Labor Government’s attempts to downplay problems with Queensland Health’s IT program have been blown apart by a freshly leaked independent audit report. The leaked partial Queensland Audit Office report “ICT Governance Queensland Health 2010/11” follows the State Opposition releasing a secret risk report card that warns IT problems were spreading from health payroll to patients. 

The LNP tabled the leaked audit report in State Parliament which found: 

·         Queensland Health did not know the full ICT spending across its portfolio and was therefore in breach of the Bligh Labor Government’s own IT planning standards

·         ICT Risk Management was inadequate for a department of Queensland Health’s size

·         There was no robust and independent oversight of the ICT program

·         As of August 2010, the ICT Portfolio Risk Register contained just two risk entries – (the most current version tabled in State Parliament yesterday contained seven entries with major to extreme consequences)

·         Queensland Health’s ICT program was in breach of ‘Principle 3’ of the Bligh Government’s own ‘ICT Resources Strategy Planning (IS2)’ planning standard LNP Shadow Minister for Health Mark McArdle said the audit was yet another report sounding alarm bells over the Bligh Labor Government’s management of health IT systems. 

“It’s time for Anna Bligh and Geoff Wilson to come clean over the systemic waste and mismanagement that has been allowed to fester in Queensland Health,” said Mr McArdle. 

In Parliament, the Premier failed to ease fears that the Department is not complying with the QAO recommendations. 

“The report confirms Queensland Health have got it wrong from day one,” said Mr McArdle. 

“Anna Bligh has admitted that even the most basic risk management strategies had not been in place while the government spent over $300 million on ehealth since 2007 and wasted $220 million to fix the health payroll system.

” In Parliament, the Health Minister said he expected recommendations by independent bodies such as the QAO to be fully implemented, yet the leaked report showed the department rejected the QAO’s recommendations for more robust and independent oversight. 

“The department is clearly ignoring any proper oversight - and it is clear Geoff Wilson has totally lost control of Queensland Health,” said Mr McArdle. 

“The reality is hundreds of millions of dollars have been wasted fixing up Labor’s health payroll debacle, hundreds of millions of dollars more will need to be spent to ensure patients’ records are accurate and this new report raises more questions over Labor’s IT processes.

” Mr McArdle said there was an embedded culture of waste, mismanagement, and denial within Queensland Health under Labor. 

“Both Paul Lucas and Geoff Wilson are culpable for Queensland Health’s multiple IT deficiencies yet the Anna Bligh continually refuses to hold any Minister accountable,” he said. 

“The LNP will be open and accountable. We’ll save you money and deliver more by getting action on the basics and cutting waste.”