Parliamentary Inquiry Calls For Mater To Be Made Public

 BY MAXWELL HARVEY

A parliamentary inquiry into mould and pest issues at Newcastle's Calvary Mater hospital has called for the termination of the hospital's public-private partnership (PPP).

The report, which documents allegations of corruption, cover-ups, and maintenance failures, recommends ownership be transferred to NSW Health immediately.

Health Services Union Secretary Gerard Haynes has backed the report's findings, calling on the state government to enact its recommendations.

"The next steps are obviously for the government to consider the recommendations from the upper house inquiry," he said. 

"We are firmly of the view that public hospitals should be in public hands and controlled by the government.

"[The recommendation] moves away from the conflicting interests between he private sector and the public sector."

Allegations submitted to the inquiry date back to 2007, mostly relating to the continuous presence of mould in the hospital's cancer ward.

It is alleged that the presence of mould caused or contributed to the deaths of several people across almost two decades.

A review conducted by the Mater itself indicated that at least 16 invasive fungal infections occurred between 2019 and 2024, with further cases recorded in the subsequent two years.

About 120 families have registered for a class-action lawsuit into the alleged mould-related deaths.

At the start of the year, media highlighted continuous issues with mould and maggots in the Mater's cancer and ICU wards, prompting the state government to intervene.

NSW Health then announced $12.5 million for emergency remediation work, replacing cladding to prevent water leaks into the hospital.

Health Minister Ryan Park announced this week the external cladding replacement at the hospital had been completed, though broader remediation works are still underway.

Mr Haynes said the failure of the Calvary Mater sends a clear message that public-private partnerships are no longer viable.

"A lot of work has been done to get to this point," he added. 

"I think the recommendations are good and so it's now a matter for the government to be able to consider those recommendations and hopefully apply them as soon as possible."

Newcastle's Calvary Mater Hospital. Picture supplied. 

ACTION NEEDED: Maggots Found In Hospital Air Conditioning

BY CAMERON TARAGEL 

Officials are calling for immediate action after maggots were claimed to have fallen onto patients from ceiling vents at the Calvary Mater Hospital in Newcastle. 

Earlier this week, patients in the haematology ward were relocated, after the bugs were discovered in a four-bed room. 

It follows the cancer ward being shut down earlier this month due to deadly mould found in the air conditioning. 

The hospital's managing company Novacare, told local media today they were frustrated with the lack of care and maintenance put towards the building and have felt interventions have been drastically stalled.

Health Minister Ryan Park said immediate action is needed. 

"Those patients have been moved to other parts of the hospital," he said. 

"Of course, that's not a satisfactory outcome from my perspective.

"We've been able to resolve it in the short-term, but we need a long-term fix going forward. 

"I've already spoken to the secretary [of the hospital] about making sure we're on it and getting it fixed as quickly as possible." 

A Hunter New  England Local Health District spokesperson said that while maggots were found in the room, they denied any were found in the vents. 

"The safety of our patients is our top priority, and we apologise to those impacted by a recent pest issue identified in one ward at Calvary Mater Newcastle," they said.

"We're speaking directly with impacted patients and their families and carers. 

"We want to reassure our patients, families, carers, staff and the community we are taking all necessary steps to resolve this issue quickly and thoroughly."