THE crisis at Portland District Health has claimed its highest-profile victim, with chief executive Christine Giles sacked by the board for public comments she made about it.

Ms Giles, who has been on extended sick leave (largely unpaid) since the middle of last year, received an email from PDH board chairman Peter Matthews on Monday.

While reluctant to comment on her dismissal, she did confirm it.

“While on extended sick leave as a result of bullying and harassment and a lack of action by the current board and Department of Health to independently address the situation, I received a notice of termination by email late Monday afternoon, effective immediately,” she said.

“While the claims are not yet addressed I don’t wish to make comment other than to say I am considering my options legally and otherwise.

“I do intend to pursue a course of action.”

The dismissal related to public comments Ms Giles made about the board.

In an interview with the Observer published on March 4, she made the bullying and harassment claims and hit out at the board’s decision making.

“I’ve been seeing a psychiatrist and two GPs, and they’ve told me I’m not to return to work until the stresses have been removed, until the board can guarantee a safe workplace,” she said in that interview.

“I can’t work with the current board because they’re not supportive of the community.

“One of the main roles of the CEO is to advise the board on the effects of decisions on the community and the board has a responsibility under the (Health) Act to consider the effects on the community of any decisions they make.

“I can’t feel comfortable working with them.”

She also called for gender balance on the board, a review into appointments that saw it stacked with outsiders last year, and refuted claims that she resisted the implementation of the “Towards a sustainable medical healthcare workforce in Portland” report by Associate Professor David Hillis, with whom she collaborated on a document that is now seen as the blueprint for staffing PDH in the future.

The Health Department claimed it had been trying to contact Ms Giles about the bullying and harassment allegations – a claim Ms Giles rejected, saying she had not heard from the Department at all.

The Department also launched a counterattack of its own, claiming that the “board and leadership (Ms Giles and former board chairman Andrew Levings) of Portland District Health were restructured following the lack of progress and opposition to implementing the recommendations of the Hillis Report, the high number of board member resignations, unresolved safety concerns at Harbourside Lodge and ongoing financial issues”.

However, the Observer then published evidence that contradicted the Department’s claims about the Hillis report.

Ms Giles had been in the role about eight years when she went on leave in July last year, after being widely praised in Portland and district for her handling of the coronavirus pandemic locally.

A PDH spokesman said “we recognise the nearly 10 years of service from Christine Giles and her contribution to the community, but the board has this week agreed that her tenure as Portland District Health CEO will now come to an end”.

The chief executive is appointed by the board.

Karena Prevett, who had been acting chief executive since August last year, would continue in the role. “This has been a difficult period for Portland District Health and we thank every one of our staff members for their dedicated service and the community for their ongoing support,” the spokesman said