NSW: Health DG says her staff were not gagged or vetted

AAP General News (Australia)
04-30-2004
NSW: Health DG says her staff were not gagged or vetted

The head of the NSW Health Department has denied that senior bureaucrats appearing
before a parliamentary inquiry into hospital complaints have been gagged or vetted.

Director-General ROBYN KRUK'S comments follow claims in a newspaper report.

It said that key witnesses in the inquiry into the deaths of 23 patients at Camden
and Campbelltown hospitals had been stopped from telling their story and their responses
required approval by the government.

But she says guidelines included in a memo sent to those called to give evidence only
reaffirmed a long-standing practice.

Ms KRUK says she met last month with several staff members called as witnesses, many
of whom had never fronted an inquiry before.

She says the meeting, where staff were told to give honest and factual responses helpful
to the inquiry, was totally appropriate.

AAP RTV ea/smb/wf/gjr

KEYWORD: HOSPITALS KRUK (SYDNEY)

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