Hospital denies it will outsource bioinformatics

The controversial sacking of a bio-IT worker by St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne has forced the hospital to deny it has any current plans to outsource bioinformatics activity.

The retrenchment of a scientist in the IT section of the hospital's pathology lab sparked industrial action by the Medical Scientists Association of Victoria.

The scientist's functions included maintaining and servicing pathology software which have now been outsourced to a private company, said MSAV executive officer Dr Rosemary Kelly.

MSAV has concerns over the issue of contracting out IT work being done by scientific staffers, she said.

St Vincent's communications manager Mike Griffin denied the redundancy move should be interpreted as a sign that the hospital is instituting an outsourcing policy for its bioinformatics needs.

Two other IT workers remain in the pathology department and the dispute has no implications for staff connected to biotech research programs being conducted by the hospital in conjunction with University of Melbourne researchers, he said.

MSAV and the hospital were due to meet today before the Industrial Relations Commission in an attempt to resolve the issue.