Mater Health to outsource Pathology, sparking job loss concerns

Staff were informed on Monday that the pathology services at Mater’s South Brisbane and Springfield hospitals will be handled by external providers. The initial phase of job cuts will affect over 100 positions within the next two months, with the remaining roles being eliminated by next year.

Mater Health attributed the decision to Medicare funding not keeping pace with the rising costs of providing pathology services. The organization emphasized that the move is not a reflection of the staff’s capabilities.

Together Queensland has formally requested Health Minister Tim Nicholls to temporarily halt the initial job terminations to allow for thorough consultation and potential redeployment opportunities. “These are highly skilled scientists, technicians, collectors and support staff who have dedicated years, in some cases decades, to caring for Queenslanders,” stated Alex Scott, branch secretary of Together Queensland. He further expressed concern over the limited timeframe for consultation and redeployment, leaving workers facing redundancy.

A Mater spokesperson stated that the consultation and redeployment period aligns with existing enterprise agreements, and the deadline for expressions of interest for five roles has been extended. The organization claims the new model, which will involve specialist providers like Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology and Pathology Queensland, will allow resources to be redirected towards patient care.

The Health Minister’s office has not yet responded to the union’s requests. Minister Nicholls acknowledged the distress among affected staff and confirmed the government has been in contact with Mater regarding ongoing services, assuring that patient care will not be disrupted.

A casual Mater Pathology employee, who wished to remain anonymous, described the shock felt by staff. “It was quite hard to walk out of that room at quarter past two on Monday afternoon and ring my husband and say to him: we have literally all just been fired,” she told ABC News. She expressed concerns about finding new employment and the impact on her family.

Together Queensland has initiated formal dispute resolution proceedings under the relevant enterprise agreement and highlighted the timing of the job losses, coinciding with rising cost of living pressures and an interest rate increase.

According to the Queensland Department of Health’s annual report, Mater received $821 million in government funding last financial year for public health care services. The union has also requested assurances from Mater that public patients will not incur additional out-of-pocket expenses as a result of the changes.