A union representing pathology workers has called on the Queensland Government to intervene as Mater prepares to outsource pathology services at its hospitals in South Brisbane and Springfield, a change affecting around 430 positions, the ABC reported. Staff were told of the decision on Monday (2 November).

Under the new model, pathology services will be delivered through specialist providers including Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology and Pathology Queensland. Mater says on its pathology page that the transition will occur progressively over the next 12 to 18 months and is expected to be implemented by December 2027, with pathology services continuing to support patient care throughout.

Why Mater Is Making the Change

In a statement, Mater said Medicare funding had "not kept pace with the rising costs of delivering pathology services" and that the "difficult decision" was not a reflection on the "capability, professionalism or commitment" of pathology staff.

Mater said the pathology sector had changed significantly in recent years, with contemporary services requiring greater scale and ongoing investment in specialist staff, laboratory technology, equipment, quality systems and logistics, 7NEWS reported. "Ultimately, the challenges associated with Mater's scale and network density mean the current operating model is not sustainable over the longer term," Mater said.

"The pathology model Mater is adopting is used by private hospital operators across Australia and will allow more resources to be directed to the clinical care of our patients," a spokesperson said. Mater told 7NEWS more than 400 full-time, part-time and casual employees would be caught up in the changes, with more than 100 health positions on the line first and most of the remaining positions expected to end in 2027. Mater's hospitals in Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Bundaberg and the Gold Coast will not be affected, as they already use external pathology providers.

Union Calls for Intervention

Together Queensland wrote to Health Minister Tim Nicholls on Tuesday (3 November) and formally disputed Mater's consultation and redeployment process, according to the union's media release. It says first-phase workers have until this Friday (6 November) to express interest in retained roles, with consultation running for three weeks, redeployment for seven days and employment outcomes due to be confirmed between 1 and 4 December.

"Three weeks of consultation and a seven-day redeployment window for a change affecting 430 positions is not a genuine opportunity to explore alternatives, and it leaves workers counting down to redundancy," Together Queensland branch secretary Alex Scott said.

"These are highly skilled scientists, technicians, collectors and support staff who have dedicated years, in some cases decades, to caring for Queenslanders," Mr Scott said. The union says most Mater Pathology services will transfer to Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, with Special Chemistry moving to Pathology Queensland, and that Mater has not identified any arrangement for affected staff to be offered employment with Sullivan Nicolaides.

"The work isn't disappearing. The same tests will still be done for the same patients, but the people who have been doing that work are facing redundancy without a clear pathway into the jobs that will continue to exist," he said. Together has also sought assurances that public patients will not face new out-of-pocket pathology costs as a result of the changes.

A Mater spokesperson told the ABC the consultation and redeployment period was "consistent with the applicable Mater Enterprise Agreements" and that the organisation had extended the closing date for expressions of interest for five roles. "Mater is committed to working with our employees and to engaging constructively with representatives of all unions whose members will be impacted," the spokesperson said.

Health Minister Response

Mr Nicholls told a press conference there was "a real degree of sorrow and sympathy" for staff set to lose their jobs and that the government had been in contact with Mater about ongoing services. "Mater have reassured Queensland Health that there will be no interruption to the provision of pathology services to their patients," he said.

According to the Queensland Department of Health's latest annual report, Mater received $821 million in government funding last financial year for the provision of public health care, the ABC reported.