The state’s Audit Office says the department and HHSs need to do more to control overtime and rostering.
The Queensland Health Department is struggling to recover payroll overpayments of almost $50 million dollars as of June 2023, according to the newly released Queensland Audit Office Health 2023 report.
“The challenge of ensuring accurate payroll payments is increased by the large size of the payroll (more than 125,000 employees on a head count basis) and the working environment,” said the report.
“Many employees work across Queensland on a 24-hour roster, and overtime is a frequent occurrence.
“The average value of overpayments each pay period during 2022–23 was around $1.3 million (representing approximately 0.28% of gross pay each pay period), which is consistent with 2021–22. The department has identified that the leading cause of overpayments is the late arrival of forms. They account for around 75% of them.”
The department has introduced the Integrated Workforce Management Plan, an electronic rostering system, to improve payroll processes. However, to date, it has only been implemented in two hospital and health services, with implementation at the remaining 14 planned for between December 2023 and September 2024.
“However, medical staff are not included in the approved IWFM rollout plan,” said the report.
“Given they account for 68% of overtime expenses, the HHSs still need to take action on the control deficiencies we have identified.”
The QAO recommended that the department and 16 HHSs should:
- Develop a sector-wide policy for the timely submission of pay variation forms.
- Reassess more effective and efficient ways to control the approval of and recording of overtime approvals; and to monitor overtime (unplanned and planned) approval.
- Develop a policy that defines the appropriate level of detail required by an employee to justify overtime hours worked and document the reasons for overtime worked.
- finalise the rollout of an electronic rostering system for nursing and midwifery staff as soon as practicable and establish a plan and timetable to include other medical staff.
Meanwhile Minister for Health Shannon Fentiman, fresh from her short-lived bid to take over as Premier from the outgoing Annastacia Paluszczek, declared that the audit revealed the covid pandemic’s ongoing impact on healthcare delivery across Queensland, including budgetary pressures, surging demand for services, workforce shortages and rising employee expenses.
“I welcome the Queensland Auditor-General’s report. It helps us identify areas where we can improve and ensure we’re delivering the best possible health care to Queenslanders,” said Ms Fentiman.
“The report also speaks to the challenges the system is under, and working to overcome – including demand, supply chain pressures in the infrastructure space, and workforce availability.
“Queensland Health has already begun addressing some of the issues raised and is committed to making continuous progress.
“The Queensland Government’s top priority remains ensuring accessible, high-quality healthcare for all Queenslanders.
“This requires strong infrastructure, accurately and timely staff payments and financial sustainability.
“Despite emerging from a global pandemic that heavily impacted our system, Queensland Health has performed exceptionally well.
“We’ve witnessed an 11% increase in services this year compared to an 8 per cent budget increase, demonstrating improved efficiency.
“I acknowledge the ongoing challenges, but I’m confident we’re headed in the right direction.”
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