NSW Health Minister Ryan Park has promised to improve conditions at the Calvary Mater in Newcastle and ensure taxpayers aren’t left to foot the bill for longstanding infrastructure issues.
On Wednesday 5 August, the Upper House committee called for the NSW Government to scrap the public-private partnership (PPP) with the Calvary Mater after hearing ‘shocking evidence’ about the hospital’s shortcomings.
The embattled facility has faced maggot infestations, bouts of potentially dangerous and deadly mould outbreaks, water damage, and infrastructure failures.
In NSW Parliament today, Minister Park said it’s his top priority to deliver high-quality healthcare services, hold contractors to account and ensure public safety.
“I’ve got a responsibility to hold the contractors to account,” he says.
“I’ve got a responsibility to do that based on the third issue, which is to make sure we spend taxpayers’ money wisely.”
Mr Park went on to reject the Coalition’s criticism and defend the government refusing to take over the Calvary Mater for $2, arguing “the government would be liable for the incredible infrastructure backlog and maintenance backlog that we would then have to fund”.
This would leave taxpayers responsible for “tens of millions of dollars”.
According to Dr Amanda Cohn MLC, Chair of the Upper House committee, “The inquiry exposed a deeply flawed PPP model at the hospital, where a convoluted contractual framework directly contributed to years of infrastructure failures.”
“Rather than resolving serious problems such as non-compliant cladding and obsolete heating, ventilation and air conditioning technology, parties to the PPP instead remain deadlocked in legal disputes regarding who was responsible for what and, critically, who should pay.”
Dr Cohn went on to say the report outlines the tangible impact on patients, healthcare delivery, staff morale and the community’s trust.
“The committee has heard shocking evidence about how the Calvary Mater Hospital fell drastically short of these basic standards and consequently put patients, staff, and the public at risk,” Dr Cohn said.
The committee has now recommended the NSW Government terminate the current PPP and bring the ownership and management of the Calvary Mater Hospital directly into NSW Health as soon as reasonably practicable.
The committee also recommended a comprehensive review of all existing PPPs to assess whether adequate visibility, oversight and intervention mechanisms are in place to prevent harm to quality of care or to patient and staff safety.
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