A local union official has accused Barwon Health boss Ruth Salom of abandoning her post when she resigned over the weekend.
“She’s run into a brick wall, taken her bat and ball and gone,” said Andrew Hewat, assistant secretary of Victorian Allied Health Professionals Association (VAHPA).
“She failed to notify the board. She went to the media first and fired off some cheap shots in the process.”
Professor Salom spoke of “equality between sexes” and suggested Barwon Health had failed to modernise its practices in a statement revealing her resignation.
Mr Hewat, who has long accused Prof Salom of attempting to privatise services at University Hospital Geelong, described the claims as “pretty baseless”.
“Being an employee at Barwon Health has its pitfalls but I wouldn’t have said that gender equality is one of them,” he said.
“Diversity and equality is one they work very hard at.
“We also find that offensive and disrespectful that she would make claims that we are not innovative.”
The resounding Labor victory had left Prof Salom without the support to “run her privatisation agenda”, Mr Hewat said.
“I think she realised she wasn’t going to get what she wanted.”
About 40 VAHPA members protested Prof Salom’s “privatisation agenda” at Barwon Health’s annual general meeting on 29 November, Mr Hewat said.
“I reckon that was the straw that broke the camel’s back. She went off on leave after that.”
Mr Hewat had previously accused Prof Salom failing to adequately staff University Hospital Geelong’s new CT scanner.
“Clearly she was taking the hospital in a different direction from what it had always been.”
But he welcomed the resignation.
“They’ve been hiding behind her ruling basically but now that she’s gone there should be no reasons why they can’t facilitate these staffing levels that we require.”
Barwon Health was unable to provide Prof Salom’s contact details or contact her on behalf of the Indy because she was no longer an employee, a spokesperson said.
The Indy was otherwise unable to reach Prof Salom for comment before deadline.
Meanwhile, the chief of Geelong’s biggest stadium has resigned after about two years in the job, citing family reasons.
Kardinia Park Stadium Trust chief executive officer (CEO) Michael Brown announced on Monday he would leave on 15 February.
“Like many people, I find myself at a stage in my life where our aging parents are requiring more support and more of my time, and now is the right time to give back to them.
