Launceston has lost its director of surgery and the North’s only resident vascular surgeon.
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Brian Kirkby finished as Launceston General Hospital director of surgery on Wednesday and left on the Spirit of Tasmania on Thursday evening to take up a post in Brisbane.
Health Minister Michael Ferguson said Mr Kirkby had indicated he was relocating to Queensland where his wife resides.
Mr Kirkby told The Examiner his decision to leave was based on his job essentially “disappearing” under the THS structure.
“They’ve just gradually whittled away all of the things that I do, so I still had the same responsibilities but I no longer had any executive power or decision-making ability to carry out those responsibilities,” he said.
Mr Ferguson said Mr Kirkby’s claims about local decision-making were incorrect.
“The role of director of surgery at the LGH has not materially changed, and the LGH management and THS desired that [Mr] Kirkby would remain in the role,” Mr Ferguson said.
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