PAYROLL SYSTEM CONTINUING TO MAKE GOOD PROGRESS ONE YEAR ON

One year on from its go-live date, Queensland Health’s payroll system is stabilised and continuing to make a range of significant improvements, Minister for Health Geoff Wilson said today.

Mr Wilson said a clear blueprint to not just address the payroll problems but to also ensure ongoing improvements for the future, in consultation with staff and unions, was well underway.

“Our staff have been through a very difficult time – it is never good enough if even one employee doesn’t receive the wages they are entitled to,” Mr Wilson said.

“I know 2010 was a tough year, but I want to reassure our staff that 2011 will be different.

“That’s why we will not rest until we have an efficient and effective payroll system in place for our staff.

“My job is to see this through and I will.

“In June 2010 the Auditor-General delivered a comprehensive report into the payroll system, and the Government immediately committed to implementing all seven recommendations, as well as taking up additional measures.

“This included the introduction of a localised payroll model, a review of the one-size-fits-all shared service approach and a review of payroll software – all to be delivered by the end of 2010.

Already this has generated positive results:

• In October 2010 Queensland Health delivered on a localised payroll model, and also implemented a personalised service for anyone experiencing payroll problems;
• In November 2010 Price Waterhouse Coopers http://www.premiers.qld.gov.au/publications/categories/reviews/assets/shared-services-review-30-sep.pdf handed down their comprehensive review of the whole-of-government shared service approach, which the Department of Public Works and the Department of Premier and Cabinet immediately began implementing;
• And, on 23 November 2010 the Ernst and Young review http://www.health.qld.gov.au/qhpip/default.asp of payroll software was released.

Mr Wilson said in late November 2010 the Government also unveiled a comprehensive 18 month blueprint for finalising the payroll improvement project by mid 2011.

“This was about delivering an enhanced system appropriate for the 21st century with all of the extra services and features our staff deserve, and I’m pleased to say we are well on track in delivering this,” he said.

In the three months since the release of the payroll blueprint Queensland Health had continued a rollout of improvements that are delivering better accountability and efficiency within the payroll system, including:

• Staff payroll enquiries have now come down by more than 80 per cent since the system went live last March, down to fewer than 500 calls from our 80,000 staff;
• The outstanding adjustments backlog has been eliminated;
• The number of staff seeking interim payments who received an incorrect pay is down by more than 90 per cent to 243 in January;
• And the total number of staff reporting no pay is down to a fraction of a per cent – approximately 0.04 per cent to 31 in the last cycle out of 80,000 staff.

“In late November 2010, the Auditor-General also updated the Parliament on payroll stabilisation and found that ‘significant improvements have been made’ by Queensland Health to improve its payroll system,” Mr Wilson said.

“The Auditor-General also found that these efforts ‘have resulted in a declining trend in no pay enquiries and outstanding transactions’.

“As a Government we won’t rest until our health staff have the modern, efficient and effective payroll system that they deserve.

“We are well on the way to delivering this, and I am committed to continuing to drive this improvement for our staff,” he said.

Ends.

MEDIA: Jade Thompson - 0408 701 409