Launceston General Hospital staff kept in the dark about paedophile co-worker James Geoffrey Griffin

Nursing staff at the Launceston General Hospital were told their colleague had retired and to respect his privacy, when he had actually been suspended because of child sexual abuse allegations, Tasmania's commission of inquiry has heard. Key points: Registered nurse Annette Whitemore worked with James Geoffrey Griffin, and their families became friends Griffin abused Keelie McMahon, Ms Whitemore's daughter Ms Whitemore has told the inquiry of the hospital administration's secrecy surrounding Griffin's departure from the hospital Keelie McMahon and her mother Annette Whitemore have given evidence at the inquiry into child sexual abuse in government agencies, which is this week focusing on the Launceston General Hospital and James Geoffrey Griffin, the now notorious paedophile who worked on the children's ward of the hospital for almost two decades. Ms Whitemore said an email sent to staff only said that "a colleague had passed away", with no mention of Griffin's name. "I did direct the staff not to discuss Mr Griffin's passing, that we'd had a difficult weekend but if we could just focus on our work and our professionalism," Ms Leonard said. Ms Leonard became the nurse unit manager — Griffin's manager — in 2008, and said it wasn't long before she became aware of bullying and a "dysfunctional" culture on the children's ward, Ward 4K.