Queensland nurses to protest the still continuing payment errors

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In a new development regarding the recent Queensland Health payroll errors the department's payroll services director Janette Jones was reportedly moved out of her role following complaints about her handling of the whole issue. There has been massive payroll bungles that have lead to thousands of health care staff underpaid, overpaid or not paid after the introduction of a new computerized system of payment this March.

Queensland Health however has not confirmed these reports. A spokesman from the department said in a statement, "As of last night we had no confirmation Ms Jones had been moved on from her role as payroll services director."

The problem continues in the latest pay cycle despite efforts to correct it said Queensland Nurses Union secretary Gay Hawksworth. As many as 29 people did not receive correct payments in the fifth payment cycle she said. She believed that many 'heads could roll' after audit company KPMG the investigators in the matter hands in its second and third reports on the pay bungle.

Initial reports have shown on May 11th that the team responsible for the system was not prepared for problems. "Nurses want to know who is at fault here ... unfortunately we do not know where blame lies directly at this stage," Ms Hawksworth said. There is a rising discontent among the nurses she said. She added, "That is hardly surprising, given the length of time this debacle is taking to resolve…The QNU has given the state government and Queensland Health a fair amount of time to resolve the problems."

Nurses at Brisbane's Prince Charles Hospital are planning to stage a protest to show their anger to the Director-General of Queensland Health Michael Reid, who is due to attend the midday rally.