ACTING Premier Paul Lucas, not nurses, should be the one repaying his salary over the Queensland Health payroll debacle, the Opposition says.
Queensland Health is facing internal revolt after telling half its workforce they each owe from $200 to $99,000 in overpaid wages linked to the payroll debacle.
Mr Lucas was the health minister when the flawed payroll system was rolled out last year, with dire consequences.
Thousands of health workers were underpaid, overpaid or not paid at all for weeks.
The Labor Government is now trying to claw back about $62 million in overpayments from health workers.
The Liberal National Party says it's an utter disgrace that no Labor minister has been sacked over the fiasco.
"Paul Lucas should have been sacked over the health payroll debacle, but instead he got another high paying job,'' LNP health spokesman Mark McArdle said.
"It is absolutely frightening that he is currently in charge of the entire state Labor government.
"If anyone should be repaying their salary for being overpaid, it is Paul Lucas.
"After all, nurses and other health workers were doing their jobs, while Paul Lucas clearly wasn't.''
Mr Lucas is currently filling in for Premier Anna Bligh while she is in the US on a trade mission.
The continuing problems have already prompted some staff to quit with renewed turmoil sparking concerns more will follow.
Dozens of staff hit the airwaves and online yesterday to voice their anger after receiving letters from Queensland Health detailing overpayments collectively worth $62 million.
One worker, who did not wish to be identified, said she quit after receiving a $8000 bill she believed was overstated. "You work so hard and they just slap you in the face," she said.
The state Opposition last night warned Queensland Health could not afford to lose skilled workers and worried the latest bungle could be the last straw.
Health Minister Geoff Wilson said he had ordered bureaucrats to "bend over backwards", conceding Queensland Health needed to work hard to rebuild staff confidence.
But he believed workers would stick by the troubled department, saying almost 5000 extra health professionals had chosen to work with Queensland Health since 2009.
"The confidence of Queensland Health staff is important to me (and) I've instructed Queensland Health to have the most sensitive and flexible approach," he said.
"The payroll problems are Queensland Health's fault, not staff's."
Many staff yesterday who believed their alleged overpayment was inaccurate feared proving it would be near impossible.
The department has offered payslips as evidence of the overpayments but health workers said they were often difficult to follow, incorrect and did not correspond with dates supplied.
Queensland Nurses Union secretary Beth Mohle urged all staff to closely scour their own payslips and roster records to check against Queensland Health's claims.
"I've lived this since March last year and the only thing it's really taught me is to question everything," she said.
Already, a "steady stream" of members has contacted the union, including one nurse who was given a cheque after a payroll bungle failed to pay her mortgage direct debit, only to now be asked to repay a similar amount.
But QH human resources deputy director general John Cairns said early yesterday he believed the bills for overpayments were accurate as the payroll system had now "stabilised".
"We are very confident about the data in our payroll system," he said.
Mr Cairns said the letters, sent to 38,000 of the 80,000-strong workforce last week, should come as no surprise as staff were repeatedly told they must return overpayments.
Mr Wilson said staff members were encouraged to "challenge and dispute" the figures and Queensland Health was obliged to prove its accuracy.
"I believe Queensland Health are obligated to do the right thing by their staff and that's why I've instructed them ... to have a case manager available for individual staff members," he said.
Opposition health spokesman Mark McArdle said the letters risked further alienating staff, especially because they did not clearly detail how overpayment amounts were calculated.
"What staff are saying to us is the letters are just reopening the wounds and bringing all that turmoil back," he said.
Already, Queensland Health boss Mick Reid has deserted the troubled department, along with his three of his deputies - Michael Walsh, Faileen James and Robert Dubery.
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QNU Queensland Health payroll debacle protest rallyby qldnursesunion132 views
Not really an appropriate comment MySuckableToes
jameshashby 4 months ago