Shaun Drummond has resigned as acting director-general of Queensland Health just days after facing criticism over a submission to a review on the state’s whistleblower laws.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Mr Drummond informed her of his decision to step down in a letter and that it was his own decision.

“Mr Drummond has done an excellent job as the head of the department,” she said.

“Mr Drummond has informed me that it is his intention to step down from his position at the end of this month.

“I thank him for the extraordinary work he has provided to the Queensland government.”

Ms Palaszczuk said Mr Drummond indicated when he was appointed to the position last October that he would not stay for the full term.

His resignation is effective from this Saturday.

“It’s a very, very difficult job and he has served very well in that position,” the Premier said.

“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.

“He made an enormous contribution to our state.”

Minister disagreed with whistleblower law review submission

Mr Drummond’s decision comes after a much-criticised Queensland Health submission to a review into the Public Interest Disclosure (PID) Act by retired Supreme Court judge Alan Wilson KC .

The submission – which was put forward by Mr Drummond — called for penalties to be considered for whistleblowers who leak certain information to journalists.

“Consideration could be given to … penalties for inappropriately disclosing relevant information to journalists where a department is dealing with the matter,” the submission said.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said she did not support the Queensland Health submission and that it would go nowhere.

She said she believed whistleblowers should be protected and not penalised.

The submission was widely viewed by whistleblowers and the AMA Queensland as being a deterrent to Queensland Health workers in raising issues about patient safety.

Earlier this week, patient advocate Beryl Crosby called on Ms Fentiman to sack Mr Drummond, saying the submission made his position as director-general “untenable”.

Today, Ms Crosby welcomed his resignation as a positive step for whistleblowers and for patient safety in the public hospital system.

“If he continued to stay in the role people would have been frightened to speak out,” Ms Crosby said.

“We need people to be able to speak out for patient safety. I am always imploring whistleblowers to come forward.”

Before his resignation, Mr Drummond insisted the submission to the PID Act review “was absolutely not calling for penalties for those who disclose information”.

“It was simply providing feedback to consider when asked specifically for additions or alternatives to an Act that is silent on penalties for inappropriate disclosure of information to journalists, which could include patient information,” he said in a statement to the ABC.

“Journalists play an important role in society and stifling them was certainly not the intent of the submission.”

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli also lashed out at the submission, calling it “nothing more than an attack on whistleblowers and journalists”.

“An attack on the institutions that keep government accountable,” he said.

“The doctors, the nurses, the allied health professionals, the paramedics, those people that are coming to us demanding action.”

Mr Drummond was previously the chief executive of Metro North Hospital and Health Service.

The ABC has previously reported he was the subject of an internal investigation over a taxpayer-funded defamation lawsuit against a former mental health patient when he was appointed as the head of Queensland Health.

In a statement to the ABC on Monday regarding the investigation, a Queensland Health spokesperson said Mr Drummond was no longer subject to any internal investigations.

“In relation to the investigation Metro North Hospital and Health Service is conducting, Mr Drummond has been advised no disciplinary action is being taken against him,” it said.