South Australian Transforming Health critic John Horowitz suspended from QEH
Updated
A high-profile critic of the South Australian Government's Transforming Health changes has been suspended from duty at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), amid an investigation into his conduct.
Professor John Horowitz is director of the hospital's cardiology unit, which has been earmarked for significant downgrading under the controversial health reforms.
SA Health confirmed Professor Horowitz had been suspended on full pay, but declined to elaborate on the nature of the investigation other than to say it was unrelated to his public criticisms.
A statement from a Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) spokeswoman said a senior clinician was being investigated following allegations of misconduct from clinical colleagues.
"These allegations are in no way related to the Government's Transforming Health reforms."
Under Transforming Health, the QEH's two catheterisation labs are to be shifted — one to the Royal Adelaide Hospital and the other to the Lyell McEwin.
Professor Horowitz, who has headed the unit for 28 years, said the move would put heart attack patients at greater risk of death.
In January he wrote a newspaper column claiming the change would delay specialist treatment by up to 30 minutes.
He also described Modbury Hospital as a "hell hole".
The ABC understands he recently returned to work after a kidney transplant and had been on limited duties since the beginning of this year.
Medical staff 'gagged' on health reforms
Opposition Health spokesman Stephen Wade said the unexplained suspension was a disturbing development.
"I don't know what the allegations are and I don't know what motivated them to being laid but there's no doubt in the minds of staff and the minds of the public there will be a correlation with Transforming Health," Mr Wade said.
"I do know the suspension of Professor Horowitz will send a shiver up and down the spine of thousands of SA Health workers.
"Staff have been telling us for years now they are gagged in relation to Transforming Health and they can't speak freely.
"They felt gagged, this will confirm in their mind that gag is real."
Professor Horowitz has been a cardiology specialist for decades and is professor of cardiology at the University of Adelaide and an internationally recognised researcher at the QEH's Basil Hetzel Institute.
The ABC understands while the investigation is underway Professor Horowitz is legally constrained from speaking to the media.
Topics: health, health-policy, government-and-politics, states-and-territories, adelaide-5000, sa
First posted
