The head of Queensland Heath is stepping down after his department recommended criminal penalties for staff who disclosed "inappropriate" information to journalists.
Director-general Shaun Drummond has told staff he will finish on July 23, nine months since assuming the role, after sending Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk a letter saying he would step down.
The premier said it was Mr Drummond's decision.
“I thank him for the extraordinary work he has provided to Queenslanders,” she said on Wednesday, adding he had served well in a "very, very difficult job".
"He had indicated that he will not be staying on for the full term when he took the job and we asked him to stay a bit longer and he did, so I thank him for that extension."
In a note to Queensland Health staff, Mr Drummond said his departure "has been a matter I have been considering for the last few weeks".
He thanked them for their support and said it had been a privilege to lead "such dedicated and skilled Queenslanders".
He also thanked new Health Minister Shannon Fentiman, saying he supported her plan "which is right for Queensland and right for the health system".
Mr Drummond will step down after a Queensland Health submission to a review of public disclosure laws was made public.
The submission, which carried his name in the cover letter, proposed criminal penalties against staff who disclosed inappropriate information to journalists.
"Consideration could be given ... to include penalties for inappropriately disclosing relevant information to journalists where a department is dealing with the matter," the submission said.
The proposal sparked concern among media, whistleblowers and bodies such as the Australian Medical Association that those who exposed problems in the state's health system could be penalised.
It was quickly rejected by the health minister.
Mr Drummond later said in a letter to the Courier Mail published on Wednesday the suggestion was from the department and not him.
He said it was "not calling for penalties for those who disclose information to journalists".
"Journalists play an important role in society and stifling them was certainly not the intent of the department’s submission," he wrote.
Opposition Leader David Crisafulli branded the submission "nothing more than an attack on whistleblowers and journalists".
"We view it as an attack on the institutions that keep government accountable, the doctors, the nurses, the allied health professionals, the paramedics, those people who are coming to us demanding action," he said.
AMA Queensland called for a change in direction following the director-general's departure.
“Queensland Health must be accountable for system errors or our communities will never enjoy the high quality, safe health care they deserve," president Maria Boulton said.
"Our hardworking doctors, nurses and other health care workers must be supported to do their jobs.
"A workforce culture that puts its people first will lead to greater retention."
Mr Drummond has worked in the public health system in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and New Zealand, according to the Queensland Health website.
He was made chief executive of Metro North Hospital and Health Service in 2017.
He was appointed chief operating officer at Queensland Health in January 2022 and was made acting director-general in March and director-general in October.
