Electric shocks, slips and mould: SafeWork serves notice to hospital
Hunter New England Health has been issued with an improvement notice, which found it had failed to ensure reasonable health and safety due to risks of "slips, electric shock and inhalation of mould spores from rain water ingress and humidity".
The notice, which also found the contractual building management system was inadequate, was served to HNEH as the owners of the building.
The SafeWork order comes after NSW Health Minister Ryan Park met with the hospital's administrators to discuss a mould outbreak in the building's airconditioners, including in a ward with immunocompromised patients.
The Newcastle Herald recently revealed SafeWork inspected the hospital in April, but missed the issues, including leaks that caused internal flooding and forced chemotherapy treatments to be cancelled.
NSW Nurses and Midwives Association Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said despite the improvement notice, the hospital's work environment remained dangerous to staff and patients.
"We're glad to to see progress, but we'll be feeling a lot better when the problems are actually fixed," Ms Smith said.
"We shouldn't have got here in the first place. We've been let down by the lack of transparency and staff don't trust the management of the building."
The lack of action to fix the Mater's ongoing issues has brought the hospital's complicated management structure under scrutiny.
The Mater is managed under a public-private partnership (PPP) by a consortium called Novacare, which is composed of four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest.
Novacare director James Ward said the company couldn't comment as it was "bound by confidentiality requirements", and any response would need approval from the state government.
HNEH and the NSW Health Minister have repeatedly stated Novacare was responsible for the hospital's infrastructure and maintenance.
"Minister Park and [Calvary Health Care CEO] Martin Bowles both agreed that it needs to be resolved as a matter of priority and urgency," a spokesperson for the Health Minister said.
"Work is being undertaken to address the situation as quickly as possible."
In March, the government passed Joe's Law to ban future PPPs for the state's acute hospitals after the death of a toddler at Northern Beaches Hospital.
Mr Park has previously stated he does not support PPPs for future acute hospitals.
Ms Smith said Mater's maintenance mess was more evidence PPPs were no longer fit for purpose.
"You've got a private company trying to make a profit of managing an acute care hospital, so when problems arise and money needs to be spent, no one wants to foot the bill," she said.
HNEH confirmed it had received the SafeWork notice and was working with its partners and contractors, including NovaCare, to determine appropriate remediations.
SafeWork has cracked down on the dangerous work environment at the Calvary Mater Hospital, ordering several issues to be fixed.
Hunter New England Health has been issued with an improvement notice, which found it had failed to ensure reasonable health and safety due to risks of "slips, electric shock and inhalation of mould spores from rain water ingress and humidity".
The notice, which also found the contractual building management system was inadequate, was served to HNEH as the owners of the building.
The SafeWork order comes after NSW Health Minister Ryan Park met with the hospital's administrators to discuss a mould outbreak in the building's airconditioners, including in a ward with immunocompromised patients.
The Newcastle Herald recently revealed SafeWork inspected the hospital in April, but missed the issues, including leaks that caused internal flooding and forced chemotherapy treatments to be cancelled.
NSW Nurses and Midwives Association Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said despite the improvement notice, the hospital's work environment remained dangerous to staff and patients.
"We're glad to to see progress, but we'll be feeling a lot better when the problems are actually fixed," Ms Smith said.
"We shouldn't have got here in the first place. We've been let down by the lack of transparency and staff don't trust the management of the building."
The lack of action to fix the Mater's ongoing issues has brought the hospital's complicated management structure under scrutiny.
The Mater is managed under a public-private partnership (PPP) by a consortium called Novacare, which is composed of four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest.
Novacare director James Ward said the company couldn't comment as it was "bound by confidentiality requirements", and any response would need approval from the state government.
HNEH and the NSW Health Minister have repeatedly stated Novacare was responsible for the hospital's infrastructure and maintenance.
"Minister Park and [Calvary Health Care CEO] Martin Bowles both agreed that it needs to be resolved as a matter of priority and urgency," a spokesperson for the Health Minister said.
"Work is being undertaken to address the situation as quickly as possible."
In March, the government passed Joe's Law to ban future PPPs for the state's acute hospitals after the death of a toddler at Northern Beaches Hospital.
Mr Park has previously stated he does not support PPPs for future acute hospitals.
Ms Smith said Mater's maintenance mess was more evidence PPPs were no longer fit for purpose.
"You've got a private company trying to make a profit of managing an acute care hospital, so when problems arise and money needs to be spent, no one wants to foot the bill," she said.
HNEH confirmed it had received the SafeWork notice and was working with its partners and contractors, including NovaCare, to determine appropriate remediations.
SafeWork has cracked down on the dangerous work environment at the Calvary Mater Hospital, ordering several issues to be fixed.
Hunter New England Health has been issued with an improvement notice, which found it had failed to ensure reasonable health and safety due to risks of "slips, electric shock and inhalation of mould spores from rain water ingress and humidity".
The notice, which also found the contractual building management system was inadequate, was served to HNEH as the owners of the building.
The SafeWork order comes after NSW Health Minister Ryan Park met with the hospital's administrators to discuss a mould outbreak in the building's airconditioners, including in a ward with immunocompromised patients.
The Newcastle Herald recently revealed SafeWork inspected the hospital in April, but missed the issues, including leaks that caused internal flooding and forced chemotherapy treatments to be cancelled.
NSW Nurses and Midwives Association Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said despite the improvement notice, the hospital's work environment remained dangerous to staff and patients.
"We're glad to to see progress, but we'll be feeling a lot better when the problems are actually fixed," Ms Smith said.
"We shouldn't have got here in the first place. We've been let down by the lack of transparency and staff don't trust the management of the building."
The lack of action to fix the Mater's ongoing issues has brought the hospital's complicated management structure under scrutiny.
The Mater is managed under a public-private partnership (PPP) by a consortium called Novacare, which is composed of four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest.
Novacare director James Ward said the company couldn't comment as it was "bound by confidentiality requirements", and any response would need approval from the state government.
HNEH and the NSW Health Minister have repeatedly stated Novacare was responsible for the hospital's infrastructure and maintenance.
"Minister Park and [Calvary Health Care CEO] Martin Bowles both agreed that it needs to be resolved as a matter of priority and urgency," a spokesperson for the Health Minister said.
"Work is being undertaken to address the situation as quickly as possible."
In March, the government passed Joe's Law to ban future PPPs for the state's acute hospitals after the death of a toddler at Northern Beaches Hospital.
Mr Park has previously stated he does not support PPPs for future acute hospitals.
Ms Smith said Mater's maintenance mess was more evidence PPPs were no longer fit for purpose.
"You've got a private company trying to make a profit of managing an acute care hospital, so when problems arise and money needs to be spent, no one wants to foot the bill," she said.
HNEH confirmed it had received the SafeWork notice and was working with its partners and contractors, including NovaCare, to determine appropriate remediations.
SafeWork has cracked down on the dangerous work environment at the Calvary Mater Hospital, ordering several issues to be fixed.
Hunter New England Health has been issued with an improvement notice, which found it had failed to ensure reasonable health and safety due to risks of "slips, electric shock and inhalation of mould spores from rain water ingress and humidity".
The notice, which also found the contractual building management system was inadequate, was served to HNEH as the owners of the building.
The SafeWork order comes after NSW Health Minister Ryan Park met with the hospital's administrators to discuss a mould outbreak in the building's airconditioners, including in a ward with immunocompromised patients.
The Newcastle Herald recently revealed SafeWork inspected the hospital in April, but missed the issues, including leaks that caused internal flooding and forced chemotherapy treatments to be cancelled.
NSW Nurses and Midwives Association Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said despite the improvement notice, the hospital's work environment remained dangerous to staff and patients.
"We're glad to to see progress, but we'll be feeling a lot better when the problems are actually fixed," Ms Smith said.
"We shouldn't have got here in the first place. We've been let down by the lack of transparency and staff don't trust the management of the building."
The lack of action to fix the Mater's ongoing issues has brought the hospital's complicated management structure under scrutiny.
The Mater is managed under a public-private partnership (PPP) by a consortium called Novacare, which is composed of four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest.
Novacare director James Ward said the company couldn't comment as it was "bound by confidentiality requirements", and any response would need approval from the state government.
HNEH and the NSW Health Minister have repeatedly stated Novacare was responsible for the hospital's infrastructure and maintenance.
"Minister Park and [Calvary Health Care CEO] Martin Bowles both agreed that it needs to be resolved as a matter of priority and urgency," a spokesperson for the Health Minister said.
"Work is being undertaken to address the situation as quickly as possible."
In March, the government passed Joe's Law to ban future PPPs for the state's acute hospitals after the death of a toddler at Northern Beaches Hospital.
Mr Park has previously stated he does not support PPPs for future acute hospitals.
Ms Smith said Mater's maintenance mess was more evidence PPPs were no longer fit for purpose.
"You've got a private company trying to make a profit of managing an acute care hospital, so when problems arise and money needs to be spent, no one wants to foot the bill," she said.
HNEH confirmed it had received the SafeWork notice and was working with its partners and contractors, including NovaCare, to determine appropriate remediations.
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In the public sector the rules dictate a one-to-one nursing care ratio for generally occupied emergency department resuscitation beds on all shifts, and one nurse per three generally occupied treatment spaces and ED short-stay unit beds on all shifts. The Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce - incorporating local health districts, NSW Health and NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association representatives - is preparing to work out the full-time equivalent staffing required at the Calvary Mater, the state government said. Calvary Mater emergency department nurse unit manager Andrew Adams said extra staff would improve morale on the ground, as well as boosting safety and capacity for care. He said staff would likely feel safer with more colleagues due to the changes, having faced an increase in staff injuries and assaults. "We're one of the bigger EDs in the local health district, and we do see a lot of patients of high acuity," he said. "[With the extra staffing] our high-risk patients that we have in the department will be provided the safe nursing care that they actually deserve and we haven't been able to provide." Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said on Thursday it was "a big win" to have the Mater brought under the umbrella. "Calvary Mater Newcastle is not just a hospital," she said. "It's a vital part of the Hunter's health network and today's announcement means better care for every patient who walks through its doors. "The Hunter community has fought hard for a fairer health system, and this is the result of that advocacy. Real reform that strengthens patient care and supports our incredible nurses. "Safe Staffing Levels aren't just numbers on a roster, they're the difference between patients being seen sooner, being treated faster and having more time with the professionals who care for them." Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery said the fierce advocacy of front-line staff had paid off. "I want to thank the nurses of the Mater Hospital, in particular branch secretary Camilla Smith, for their patience and strong advocacy in seeing this Safe Staffing Level expansion," Ms Hornery said. "I also want to thank Minister Park for his commitment to expanding these reforms to all hospitals in the Wallsend electorate." STAFFING at one of Newcastle's largest hospitals will be covered by statewide mandates, closing a loophole its staff had slammed as a dangerous omission. NSW Health Minister Ryan Park on Thursday confirmed planning has begun to bring safe staffing levels to the Calvary Mater's emergency department. Introducing the changes will make the hospital the first affiliated health organisation to come under reforms already rolling out across 30 public hospital emergency departments, including the John Hunter. In May, the Newcastle Herald reported nurses were calling on the state government to expand the plan rather than make the Mater the exception among Hunter hospitals. Camilla Smith, the Mater branch secretary for the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, said on Thursday the news was welcomed. She said there would "definitely be a bottle of champagne" to celebrate. "We're obviously all ecstatic and it couldn't come at a better time with just the surging and the flu and COVID intake and just generally people being sicker," she said. "We're finally getting acknowledged in staffing levels for the work that we do." "It's just been such a massive battle. When you're in the thick of it, you think it's not going to happen." Ms Smith said there remained issues, including "the highest number of code black incidents in the state", but expanding the reform to include the Mater would stop its resources falling behind. "People who work at the Calvary love it and they don't want to go, but when you're working under less staffing levels than every other hospital in your area, you've got to really love your job," she said. NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the Safe Staffing Level reforms introduce minimum staffing levels, which the state government says will "result in more nurses employed in hospitals right across the state". "Importantly, this reform will deliver improved nursing numbers to provide care for patients while supporting our frontline healthcare staff," he said. In the public sector the rules dictate a one-to-one nursing care ratio for generally occupied emergency department resuscitation beds on all shifts, and one nurse per three generally occupied treatment spaces and ED short-stay unit beds on all shifts. The Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce - incorporating local health districts, NSW Health and NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association representatives - is preparing to work out the full-time equivalent staffing required at the Calvary Mater, the state government said. Calvary Mater emergency department nurse unit manager Andrew Adams said extra staff would improve morale on the ground, as well as boosting safety and capacity for care. He said staff would likely feel safer with more colleagues due to the changes, having faced an increase in staff injuries and assaults. "We're one of the bigger EDs in the local health district, and we do see a lot of patients of high acuity," he said. "[With the extra staffing] our high-risk patients that we have in the department will be provided the safe nursing care that they actually deserve and we haven't been able to provide." Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said on Thursday it was "a big win" to have the Mater brought under the umbrella. "Calvary Mater Newcastle is not just a hospital," she said. "It's a vital part of the Hunter's health network and today's announcement means better care for every patient who walks through its doors. "The Hunter community has fought hard for a fairer health system, and this is the result of that advocacy. Real reform that strengthens patient care and supports our incredible nurses. "Safe Staffing Levels aren't just numbers on a roster, they're the difference between patients being seen sooner, being treated faster and having more time with the professionals who care for them." Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery said the fierce advocacy of front-line staff had paid off. "I want to thank the nurses of the Mater Hospital, in particular branch secretary Camilla Smith, for their patience and strong advocacy in seeing this Safe Staffing Level expansion," Ms Hornery said. "I also want to thank Minister Park for his commitment to expanding these reforms to all hospitals in the Wallsend electorate." STAFFING at one of Newcastle's largest hospitals will be covered by statewide mandates, closing a loophole its staff had slammed as a dangerous omission. NSW Health Minister Ryan Park on Thursday confirmed planning has begun to bring safe staffing levels to the Calvary Mater's emergency department. Introducing the changes will make the hospital the first affiliated health organisation to come under reforms already rolling out across 30 public hospital emergency departments, including the John Hunter. In May, the Newcastle Herald reported nurses were calling on the state government to expand the plan rather than make the Mater the exception among Hunter hospitals. Camilla Smith, the Mater branch secretary for the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, said on Thursday the news was welcomed. She said there would "definitely be a bottle of champagne" to celebrate. "We're obviously all ecstatic and it couldn't come at a better time with just the surging and the flu and COVID intake and just generally people being sicker," she said. "We're finally getting acknowledged in staffing levels for the work that we do." "It's just been such a massive battle. When you're in the thick of it, you think it's not going to happen." Ms Smith said there remained issues, including "the highest number of code black incidents in the state", but expanding the reform to include the Mater would stop its resources falling behind. "People who work at the Calvary love it and they don't want to go, but when you're working under less staffing levels than every other hospital in your area, you've got to really love your job," she said. NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the Safe Staffing Level reforms introduce minimum staffing levels, which the state government says will "result in more nurses employed in hospitals right across the state". "Importantly, this reform will deliver improved nursing numbers to provide care for patients while supporting our frontline healthcare staff," he said. In the public sector the rules dictate a one-to-one nursing care ratio for generally occupied emergency department resuscitation beds on all shifts, and one nurse per three generally occupied treatment spaces and ED short-stay unit beds on all shifts. The Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce - incorporating local health districts, NSW Health and NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association representatives - is preparing to work out the full-time equivalent staffing required at the Calvary Mater, the state government said. Calvary Mater emergency department nurse unit manager Andrew Adams said extra staff would improve morale on the ground, as well as boosting safety and capacity for care. He said staff would likely feel safer with more colleagues due to the changes, having faced an increase in staff injuries and assaults. "We're one of the bigger EDs in the local health district, and we do see a lot of patients of high acuity," he said. "[With the extra staffing] our high-risk patients that we have in the department will be provided the safe nursing care that they actually deserve and we haven't been able to provide." Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said on Thursday it was "a big win" to have the Mater brought under the umbrella. "Calvary Mater Newcastle is not just a hospital," she said. "It's a vital part of the Hunter's health network and today's announcement means better care for every patient who walks through its doors. "The Hunter community has fought hard for a fairer health system, and this is the result of that advocacy. Real reform that strengthens patient care and supports our incredible nurses. "Safe Staffing Levels aren't just numbers on a roster, they're the difference between patients being seen sooner, being treated faster and having more time with the professionals who care for them." Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery said the fierce advocacy of front-line staff had paid off. "I want to thank the nurses of the Mater Hospital, in particular branch secretary Camilla Smith, for their patience and strong advocacy in seeing this Safe Staffing Level expansion," Ms Hornery said. "I also want to thank Minister Park for his commitment to expanding these reforms to all hospitals in the Wallsend electorate."
