Queensland Health has confirmed it has stood down two senior executives over allegations of nepotism, with recently appointed CIO Colin McCririck reported to be one of the officers out of a job.
Health released a statement revealing it has “stood aside two senior officers following an internal complaint regarding recruitment processes”.
A spokeswoman declined to comment further on any actions that will be taken in relation to the complaint, or to confirm the identities of those involved.
But the Courier Mail has reported that one of the two executives involved is CIO and chief executive of the state government’s new eHealth Queensland division, Colin McCririck.
McCririck has only been in the role since December last year, after moving up from the CTO position following the long-planned departure of Mal Thatcher.
eHealth Queensland was formally stood up late last year, recombining the functions of the Health Services Information Agency and the Office of the Chief Health Information Officer under the leadership of the CIO.
The other executive reported to have been stood down is deputy director general in charge of corporate services, Susan Middleditch.
The Courier Mail said the complaint concerns the appointment of Middleditch’s husband to a top human resources role within eHealth Queensland. The paper alleges her young daughter was given a job at the department too.
The state’s Crime and Corruption Commission is reported to be looking into the complaint.
The Queensland public service has seen a spate of IT executives stood down in controversial circumstances of late, with CIO Mark Hind stood down and former CIO David O’Hagan temporarily standing aside in the wake of the OneSchool child abuse reporting scandal.
The loss of the IT leader means Queensland Health will have to once again recruit for an executive to head up its new, 20-year, $1.26 billion IT investment plan.
