RESIGNATION OF SENIOR BUREAUCRAT LINKED WITH REEVES CASE

Wednesday 30 April 2008

RESIGNATION OF SENIOR BUREAUCRAT LINKED WITH REEVES CASE LEAVES UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

The resignation of the head of the Area Health Service who hired Dr Graeme Reeves raises serious concerns that important questions about his employment will not be answered by the Iemma Government, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner and Liberal Member for Bega Andrew Constance said today.

Andrew Constance Member for Bega

It has been reported that Dr Denise Robinson will resign from NSW Health this Friday. Dr Robinson was the chief executive of the Southern Area Health Service when it hired Dr Graeme Reeves in 2002.

“Health Minister Reba Meagher needs to ensure that when Dr Robinson leaves, the answers relating to Dr Reeves’ employment do not leave with her,” Mrs Skinner said.

“The victims of this preventable health tragedy deserve to know how Dr Graeme Reeves was hired when the Medical Board’s Professional Standards Committee ordered that he cease practicing obstetrics and undergo psychiatric treatment in 1997,” she said.

“Health Minister Reba Meagher must guarantee this health bureaucrat will be made available to the Garling inquiry following her resignation, so no questions are left unanswered,” she said.

“The victims of Dr Graeme Reeves have a right to have questions asked of everyone involved in this affair. The courageous women who have come forward deserve answers and so far Reba Meagher has not provided any,” Mr Constance said.

“The departure of this senior health bureaucrat could well lead to the Iemma Government heaping the blame on her and then claiming nothing further need be done because the matter has been dealt with.

“Health Minister Reba Meagher must not be allowed to make Dr Robinson a scapegoat to dodge her own responsibility. She must ensure the resignation of this health bureaucrat does not frustrate any investigation into the Dr Graeme Reeves affair,” he said.

Mr Constance said local families deserved to know exactly what role this health bureaucrat played in Dr Reeves’ appointment.

“Health Minister Reba Meagher cannot be allowed to escape answering the questions I put to her in Parliament last year.

“The public have a right to know whether this bureaucrat or others were specifically tasked with checking Dr Reeves’ credentials with the Medical Board,” Mr Constance said.