FOURTEEN employees of Hunter New England Health in the northern region have been fired, disciplined or resigned following the “serious misuse” of work email accounts.
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It is understood the employees – including staff at Tamworth hospital – sent, stored, displayed or regularly received pornographic content and other inappropriate material using their work accounts.
Some of the staff involved were believed to have held senior positions and this latest incident was the second of its kind to take place within the organisation in recent months.
In a statement, Hunter New England Health chief executive officer Michael Di Rienzo said action was taken following an extensive investigation.circumstances,” chief executive officer Michael Di Rienzo said in a statement.
“Hunter New England Health does not tolerate this kind of behaviour under any circumstances,” chief executive officer Michael Di Rienzo said in a statement.
“All HNE Health staff, no matter what their position, experience or the length of service with HNE Health – must act in accordance with our code of conduct, values and relevant policies to ensure we can provide a safe and comfortable environment for all staff and patients.”
Under NSW Health’s policy on the use of communication systems, staff “must not seek out, access, store or send any material of an offensive, obscene, pornographic, threatening, abusive or defamatory nature as it is prohibited and may result in disciplinary action”.
Hunter New England Health declined to comment any further.