Home / Business and Economy / Queensland Hospitals Slash 400 Pathology Jobs
Queensland Hospitals Slash 400 Pathology Jobs
3 Nov
Summary
- Mater Pathology will eliminate 400 jobs over 12-18 months.
- Cuts are attributed to reduced Medicare subsidies and rising costs.
- External providers like Sullivan Nicolaides will take over services.
Mater Pathology, a significant provider in Queensland, announced substantial job cuts impacting its pathology arm. The organization will eliminate 400 full-time and casual positions across Brisbane and Springfield hospitals within the next 12 to 18 months, with 100 roles to be cut before Christmas.
This difficult decision was attributed to a combination of reduced Medicare subsidies and escalating operational costs, including workforce and property expenses. Mater confirmed that its pathology services will now be handled by specialist external providers such as Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology and Pathology Queensland.
Health Minister Tim Nicholls acknowledged the funding challenges, agreeing that current Medicare rebates do not cover the rising costs of healthcare delivery. He expressed sympathy for the affected staff and indicated that Pathology Queensland would seek to absorb some of the services and explore redeployment opportunities.
