Police Officer Taken To Hospital After Allegedly Bitten by Man Near Maitland

BY ISABEL EVERETT

A man will appear in court on Wednesday, after allegedly biting a police officer near Maitland yesterday.

About 3.45pm on Tuesday 19th May, officers stopped a man on Thursby Street, Tenambit, and observed him holding something in the front of his jumper.

When police asked him to show them what he was holding, the man was observed placing a small plastic bag into his mouth before chewing it, swallowing it and attempting to leave the scene.

The 38-year-old man was arrested when he allegedly became violent, resisting police and biting one Senior Constable on his right arm, who was taken to Maitland Hospital for treatment.

The man was taken to Maitland Police Station and charged with resisting or hindering a police officer in the execution of duty, two counts of resisting an officer in execution of duty, assaulting a police officer in execution of duty cause actual bodily harm, and not wearing an approved bicycle helmet/fitted/fastened.

He was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today.

Hunter Nurses And Midwives Call For Nurse-To-Patient Ratios

BY JARROD MELMETH

Nurses and Midwives are rallying today at Maitland and Singleton hospitals calling on candidates in the New South Wales election to commit to nurse-to-patient ratios.

The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association is calling for surgical and medical wards to have a one-to-four ratio in the morning and afternoon and a one-to-seven ration on the night shift as well as a 24/7 one-to-three ratio in the emergency department, pediatric and maternity wards

The action from the Association follows fresh statistics released from the Bureau of Health Information's Quarterly Report showing a 6 per cent increase in emergency department patient presentations at Maitland Hospital between October and December, compared to this time last year.

Singleton Hospital saw a 2 per cent increase in patients in its emergency department during the same period.

Singleton Hospital Midwife Janine Moffat said the current situation is not good enough for staff or patients.

"Currently in Singleton, we can work anywhere from one nurse to eight, nine or ten patients and if you are the midwife on and you have got a lady in the birthing unit and you have got one or two postnatal women, those postnatal women miss out on care because you are the only midwife on.

"We are not asking for money, we are asking for safe nurse-to-patient ratios so that people get the health care they deserve and nurses can go home knowing that they did a good job," Ms Moffat said.

Maitland Hospital Nurse Jane Burr said nurse-to-patient ratios are the only way to provide a safe environment.

Maitland Hospital. Photo: The Newcastle Herald.

Singleton Hospital. Photo: The Singleton Argus.

It's decided, the new Maitland Hospital will be Public

BY JESSICA ROUSE

It's decided.

The new Maitland Hospital will be run as a fully public hospital. The State Government was considering a public-private partnership or involvement from the not-for-profit sector, both ideas which have now been scrapped.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard announced the plans last night saying after much consideration and weighing up all of the concerns this was the best option.

"After much consideration, we have decided on a public health-led approach from the brand new Maitland Hospital at Metford,"

"I want to reassure the people of Maitland and surrounding areas that they are getting a world-class hospital, and the NSW Liberal Government is focused on making that happen as soon as possible," said Minister Hazzard.

It's been a roller coaster of a decision, in July last year it was announced that a public-private partnership had been scrapped, and the government were looking down a not-for-profit path instead.

The $450 million hospital's construction is already underway, with ground work and the turning of the sod happening before Christmas.

Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison is over the moon, saying she's happier than when she was when she won the election in 2015.

Artists Impression new Maitland Hospital.

EARLIER:

PPP scrapped for not-for-profit model for the new Maitland Hospital
Maitland Hospital To Be Debated in Parliament Today
Spat Overshadows Significant Step in Construction of new Maitland Hospital

Police Investigations Continue After Woman Hit by Taxi in Rutherford

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Police are still investigating whether or not they will lay charges against a female taxi driver after a woman was struck by the taxi she was driving.

Police say at about 7:50am yesterday morning emergency services were called to the car park of a shopping centre in Rutherford in West Mall following reports a woman had been hit by a taxi.

The woman, aged in her 60s, was taken to the John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition.

The 42-year-old driver was taken to Maitland Hospital for mandatory tests.

Officers from Central Hunter Local Area Command established a crime scene and continue to investigate.

Anyone with information is being urged to come forward.

Spat Overshadows Significant Step in Construction of new Maitland Hospital

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A traditional turning of the sod ceremony at the site of the new Maitland Hospital at Metford has been overshadowed by a spat between Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison and Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald.

In front of gathered media yesterday afternoon, Scot MacDonald made it abundantly clear he wasn't happy Jenny Aitchison was there.

He asked her if she was invited and said he wasn't "really happy" she was there because she'd been trying to derail the project for the last two years.

"She hadn't been invited to the sod turning so, you've got to be suited up, we said to her, were you invited, she said no. It's very clear it's not appropriate to have people on the site who are just there to cause mischief," said Scot MacDonald.

He toured the site with representatives from Health Infrastructure and Hunter New England Local Health District inspecting the preliminary work and looking at the concept design for the new hospital.

Concept design for new Maitland Hospital at Metford. Image supplied.

Jenny Aitchison has hit back this morning, accusing Scot MacDonald of spreading lies.

"There's no basis in fact of it, everyone knows that I have been in favour of the hospital for the last two years, the lobbying that I've done has actually secured another $50 million for the project than what the government promised in the first place,"

"It's ensured that the commencement of the works actually happened before the end of this year, something that the government earlier this year said would only start in 2018," said Jenny Aitchison.

Scot MacDonald makes no apologies and didn't back down, calling on Jenny to get on board with the plan because really it's too little too late.

"She's being led by her shadow minister who is actually potentially causing a roadblock to this so you know, my call would be to Jenny, get on board, its a very very large project, there have been enough delays the money is on the table, let us get on with it."

The State Government announced in July it would seek a not-for-profit organisation to operate the hospital and providers are being invited to give their proposals for the site in partnership with the NSW Government.

Jenny Aitchison said Scot MacDonald is just being a bully.

"He's been a bully from the start really and it was just interesting that finally, I guess the media was there when he's launched one of his tirades and that's all it is, there's no basis in fact with it, everyone knows I've been in favour of the hospital for the last two years."

A part from the shock war of words between the two parliamentarians, yesterday was a significant step forward for the hospital's construction.

The enabling works at the site being carried out by Donnelley Constructions Pty Ltd and is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

A new roundabout will be built on Metford Road as a part of the enabling works. Fencing and signage have been erected to establish the site and services will be upgraded including a new water main and the relocation of the above and below ground services such as gas main, power and communication cables.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald with Gavin Thompson, Project Director,
Health Infrastructure and Eddie Pirillo, Executive Lead - New Maitland Hospital, Hunter New England Local Health District

Maitland Hospital To Be Debated in Parliament Today

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A bus load of Maitland locals are heading down to Parliament House in Macquarie Street today to hear the Maitland Hospital issue debated on the floor.

The debate has been triggered by a petition headed by Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison which was submitted with 17,000 signatures from people who want a 100% public hospital, not a Public Private Partnership (PPP), which is the current plan.

Jenny Aitchison says Health Minister Brad Hazzard has visited Maitland on the issue, but this debate gives him the chance to hear directly from residents and for the residents to hear from him.

"We want to have the Minister hearing directly some of the words and voices of the Hunter. There's a busload of people coming from the Hunter who'll be there to witness that. So that will be very good because they'll be able to see for themselves how weak the government's arguments will be."

Image hunterindependent.com.au

Among those heading down today for the debate in the lower house at around 4:30pm, include members of the Maitland Community Alliance, medical staff, union delegates and concerned local residents.

A local nurse from the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association said the resources at Maitland Hospital are being drained and it's time the government acted.

"We can't be squeezed any further. Any attempt to find further savings is dangerous. Our community deserves a publicly funded and publicly run hospital that provides unbiased access to care."

Jenny Aitchison says the community have been loud and voiced their opinions at rallies and public meetings, and someone has to be listening.

"I've had doctors calling me saying 'keep up the fight Jenny, keep that hospital in public hands'. You know, there's a lot of risks for us not being able to attract doctors if we don't have a public hospital in Maitland. We already have a private hospital - there's really no sense in them retaining this failed PPP model," said Jenny Aitchison.

Hunter Hospital waiting times go down as presentations go up

BY JARROD MELMETH

The John Hunter Hospital has been identified as the busiest emergency room in the state outside of Sydney, with almost 37 per cent of patients waiting more than four hours.

The Healthcare Quarterly report from the Bureau of Health Information found that 19,622 patients presented to the emergency department between April and June 2017, which is up 5.4 per cent from the same time in 2016.

The data also showed 63.4 per cent of patients left emergency within four hours of admissions, down from 68 per cent at the same time last year all the while presentations had increased by 5.4 per cent.
the average waiting time for emergency patients at the hospital is still 39 minutes above the state average.

NSW Shadow Minister for Health Walt Secord attributed the increase in patients to families being unable to afford

"Patients are flooding emergency departments because they cannot get into a GP's practice or they are unable to pay extra for a GP - Putting unnecessary pressure on the State's emergency departments. In desperation, families on tight budgets are turning to emergency departments," Mr Secord said.

Bureau of Health Information Acting Cheif Executive, Dr Kim Sutherland said over overall 663,000 patients presented to a NSW Hospital from April to June 2017.

"Patients who presented to the emergency department in that April to June quarter - there was almost 20,000 at the John Hunter Hospital, with an increase of over one thousand compared to the same quarter last year - So, quite busy and a bigger increase than we saw at a New South Wales level which, was 4.2 per cent," Dr Sutherland said.

Maitland Hospital also made an appearance in the top 20 on the list, with 11,760 presentations over the April to June quarter, which is down 0.1 per cent from the previous year. While, the Calvary Mater Hospital in Waratah placed further down the list at number 27, with 9,028 presentations to its emergency department. That number is up 4.8 per cent from the previous year.

HSU hitting back at new Maitland Hospital plans

BY JARROD MELMETH and JESSICA ROUSE

The Health Services Union is describing the announcement a not-for-profit operator will run the new Maitland Hospital as a "camouflaged attempt to slash staff conditions and job security".

Yesterday the State Government made the announcement the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) would be scrapped and replaced with a not-for-profit operator which the NSW Health Minister says will maximise the taxpayer's dollar.

The HSU is now ramping up its campaign to defend and promote staff conditions at Maitland Hospital and continue to push for a public hospital.

HSU NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes says while it may be better than a multinational corporation running the hospital, it is not good enough.

"We don't know too much of the details at this point in time but I don't see the need to go down the path of having a not-for-profit provider when the government can actually manage these issues themselves and actually have done basically in every other hospital in NSW."

The Health Services Union can't understand why out of five hospitals which were up for a PPP, three have been taken off the table and one's gone into a different partnership, and the new Maitland hospital has been chosen to go down the not-for-profit pathway.

"Around 47 per cent of households in the Maitland catchment don't have private health insurance, that means that people of Maitland are under some pressure. I can't understand why a government would single this hospital out as it has with the Northern beaches hospital to run a different model to the rest of the state," said Gerard Hayes.

Image abc.net.au

Renewed calls for government investment in Maitland

BY JARROD MELMETH and JESSICA ROUSE

Following the approval of 247 housing lots at Thornton and Louth Park there have been renewed calls for the State Government to invest in the area.

The developments and their applications across the two suburbs were approved at Tuesday's Maitland Council Meeting just weeks after 511 lots were approved for Defence Housing, also in Thornton.

Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison believes the approval of more housing developments goes to the very heart of why the State Government must invest in more infrastructure in the area, particularly in schools.

"We need to ensure that the government comes good on infrastructure. The government needs to invest in Maitland in schools and education in order to make sure these people who come to Maitland have adequate facilities," said MP Jenny Aitchison.

Census data shows there was a two percent population increase in Maitland between 2011 and 2016 with the numbers only going up. Maitland was also identified as a high growth area being the fastest growing outside of the Sydney metropolitan area.

MP Jenny Aitchison says the lack of housing affordability in Sydney, Newcastle and in other major centres, is pushing people to come to Maitland instead where there's relatively low cost housing compared to a lot of these areas.

"The development approved goes to the very heart of why we need this new hospital, why we need the government to be investing in schools. We will be working to get new schools into Maitland to get expansion of our existing schools to cope with that demand."

PPP scrapped for not-for-profit model for the new Maitland Hospital

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The controversial public private partnership (PPP) for the new Maitland hospital has been scrapped, with the state government deciding to go down a not-for-profit path.

They've announced they will approach a not-for-profit provider to build and run the new hospital using their own funds on top of the already promised $450 million from the government in this year's budget.

The not-for-profit plan will be rolled out and conducted in a similar way to Newcastle's Calvary Mater Hospital.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard believes this is a much better option, an option both the community along with doctors and nurses want, rather than the PPP model proposed previously.

"The local community didn't want that and I met with them and talked to the nurses and as a result we looked at other options and the best option, the really best option, to provide free public health care and to provide a precinct for health going forward for decades and hundreds of more jobs, would be to go for not-for-profit," said Brad Hazzard.

"It will be public free healthcare through an amazing hospital right there in Maitland and hopefully that new hospital will become the catalyst for further development but even in the process of building the hospital there will be about 1,250 jobs coming into Maitland and then, of course, hundreds of doctors and nurses will be employed in the hospital."

The government has also announced construction will begin sooner rather than later, and as soon as the end of 2017.

"I've set a very high bar for health infrastructure and said to them I'd really like something kicking off by later this year but that is dependent upon getting the expressions of interest, the tender projects done, but certainly if that doesn't work than early next year but really putting the pressure on to get it underway," said Brad Hazzard.

Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison says better late than never.

"We've been advocating that it needed to be done much quicker than its already been and we're well over 2,000 days. That quicker commencement time of starting at the end of this year instead of the end of next year is good news for us."

However, while the Maitland MP is glad something has changed, she's already looking forward to the problems they're sure to face once the hospital nears completion.

"What we need to do is really look at the issues around governance and decision making, ensuring that this hospital is held accountable to the community, that reporting is adequate, that patient nurse ratios are adequate, that the staff get a fair transition - I think they said there's going to be a two-year transition period," said Jenny Aitchison.

She also hopes the organisation who takes on the job has all of the appropriate measures in place within the contract to allow for hospital expansion in the future, as well as measures to ensure services the community needs, and wants, are delivered through the hospital.

Police say Thornton house fire was deliberate

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Police believe a fire which destroyed a home in Thornton over the weekend was deliberately lit.

Firefighters were called to the home on Singleton Avenue at about 2:50am on Saturday morning where they found the home well alight. 

It took 25 firefighters to extinguish the blaze from four different fire stations.

Six people who were inside were lucky to escape including a man, a woman and their children. Four of the occupants were taken to Maitland Hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.

Police are urging anyone with information to come forward as investigations continue.

Image supplied to Maitland Mercury

Maitland Hospital battling to stay in public hands

BY JOSH SIM

Despite today's announcement by the State Government to keep Wyong Hospital in public hands, Maitland Hospital's future remains uncertain.

Maitland is one of three public hospitals, including Bowral and Shellharbour, that Unions NSW are campaigning against proposed privatisation.

Secretary for Unions NSW, Mark Morey says the privatisation of a hospital already run on a tight budget means any new owner would have to make cuts, either to jobs or patient care, to turn a profit.

'Public health should be in public hands, and it's not fair to privatise it and reduce services for working people,' Mr. Morey said.

'NSW is growing and it needs investment in its hospitals, not cost cutting sell-offs.'

Morey has urged any Hunter resident that feels strongly about keeping Maitland Hospital public to contact their local MP and strongly object to the privatisation of their hospital.

Maitland Hospital. Source: Singleton Argus

UPDATED: Man turns up to a Hunter hospital nursing a gunshot wound

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A Kurri Kurri man turned up at Maitland Hospital late yesterday afternoon suffering a gunshot wound, and police are still trying to work out how he got it.

Just before 5pm, the man was dropped off at the hospital by his girlfriend nursing a single gunshot wound to his left hand.

Police searched a home in Kurri Kurri and have spoken to his father and the girlfriend, but the circumstances surrounding the incident are still not known.

The 22-year-old has now been released from the hospital.

Investigations are continuing and anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Councillor: ditch Metford and build Lower Hunter hospital in Kurri Kurri

BY JARROD MELMETH

Cessnock City Councillor Paul Dunn will be seeking the support of council to ask the New South Wales Government to abandon plans for a hospital at Metford, and instead build it in Kurri Kurri.

The site on which Cr Dunn has proposed for the hospital is the former Kurri Kurri Aluminum smelter adjacent to the Hunter Expressway.

Residents have raised concerns about the toxicity of the site, but Cr Dunn is assuring people, the land the hospital would be built on is "pristine" and "untouched" by the smelter.

"The site that we are looking at is a greenfields site. There is still trees on there and it has never been touched. It is a brand new site.

"We had a walk-through the aluminum smelter a couple of weeks ago and the small part of the aluminum smelter that is currently contaminated is going to be fixed over the next five years.

"That area is absolutely nowhere near the site that we are actually talking about," Cr Dunn said.

The $800 million Lower Hunter hospital was announced for a site in Metford in 2011, but there has been little progress since.

Cr Dunn said the hospitals' location in Kurri Kurri would create jobs in an area where unemployment rates are rising. 

"We are standing up for the community.

"When Hydro Aluminum left, it made a $50 million dollar plus payroll disappear.

"Kurri Kurri is absolutely dying at the moment. They are worse than pretty much every part of the Hunter when it comes to unemployment due to Hydro leaving.

"We need to see some growth, and it is the perfect opportunity for us to put our hand up as representatives of the local community and say "hey we want this on our doorstep".

"The local community is absolutely killing for jobs, especially for not only the jobs the hospital would bring, it is all of those smaller jobs like the cafes, hardware and everything else that comes along with big business like that," Cr Dunn said.

Councillor Paul Dunn.

  



















Interview with Councillor Paul Dunn:

New Maitland Hospital Goes Back To The Drawing Board

BY IAN CROUCH

The state's new health minister is backing away from the proposed public private partnership to build and operate the new Maitland Hospital at Metford.

Brad Hazzard has decided to go back to the drawing board, 7 months after the government announced the $400-million hospital would operate under a Public Private Partnership.

He's told the Herald the project needs more money as the current plans won't cater for Maitland's growing population, saying all options are back on the table.

He said former Health Minister, Jillian Skinner had allocated $200 million - which would provide a hospital but not one which is needed for a growing population.

However, he doesn't want to see the project delayed, saying one of the options could be having the private sector build the hospital but not actually run it.


He says while he's pushing hard to build the hospital as soon as possible, it would not be treating patients for about five years.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard

Rally to Save Maitland Hospital

BY SARAH BARONOWSKI

Hundreds of health workers, unionists and community members are expected to join together at Maitland Park this Sunday to protest the privatisation of Maitland Hospital.

The "Keep Our Hospitals Public" rally will be held from 12 noon to 2pm with the hopes of bringing the community together on this issue.

NSW Health Services Union Secretary, Gerard Hayes. [Image:Image: http://www.2gb.com/article/gerard-hayes-%E2%80%93
-secretary-health-services-union]

NSW Health Services Union Secretary, Gerard Hayes says it is important for people to band together. 

"No individual can win this, this is a community issue," he said. "They own that hospital. It's not for the government to give away but the only way we can fight this is by coming together as a community.

"We need to ensure that services at Maitland hospital are maintained and extended, not moved to John Hunter hospital and that profits don't come before services that the community need."

According to Mr. Hayes, this decision has not been made in the interest of the wider community.

"This is an attack on regional NSW," he said. "The private sector is about making money.

"We cannot get to a point that if you're wealthy, you can access services and if you don't then you either have to go on a waiting list or maybe go to Newcastle."

He says a hospital is not for the government to profit from and asks for a change in direction.

"The fact of the matter is what goes on in the hospital is the responsibility of Health," he said.

"It is not the responsibility or to be abdicated to the private sector."

The rally will continue to be advertised over the next couple of days and Gerard Hayes encourages people to come along.