Queensland Health specialist pocketed $2 million in what is believed to be a widespread rort of the system.
QUEENSLAND'S health minister has vowed to change a culture of alleged rorting among doctors in the state's public health system.
The Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) has uncovered evidence a Queensland Health specialist pocketed $2 million in what is believed to be a widespread rort of the system.
The Courier-Mail newspaper says it has obtained a brief prepared for the Department of Premier and Cabinet by the CMC which cites evidence of specialists earning undeclared extra money from private patients while on duty at public hospitals.
One doctor is said to have earned an extra $2 million treating private patients while using public facilities.
Public system specialists can treat private patients under a longstanding arrangement where they receive either a salary top-up of up to 75 per cent, or pay two-thirds of their private patient income back to the treating hospital once their extra earnings exceed $191,000.
Health Minister Lawrence Springborg told AAP he was made aware of the problem several months ago but is yet to see the findings of the CMC investigation.
He said he understands the premier has been given the report.
"There's enough information to indicate we have a problem that needs to be addressed," Mr Springborg told AAP.
He said there may need to be a wider investigation into the matter.
"We need to work out the best way to investigate this and identify areas where there has been fraudulent and inappropriate conduct," he said.
"Then we need to see what can be done to recover those funds, bring people to account and more importantly, what we can do to change this culture.
"Whether this is using the good office of the auditor-general or somebody else to inquire into this there will certainly be more to be done in this area."
