Latest news with #CamillaSmith
The Advertiser
21-05-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
Hospital cancels chemo treatment due to leaks SafeWork inspection failed to flag
The Calvary Mater was forced to cancel chemotherapy treatments this week due to internal flooding caused by severe leaks, which a SafeWork NSW inspection last month seemingly missed. The leaks have been a persistent problem for years and in the past four months have become so bad that leaking windows are being patched up with plastic garbage bags and drained into bins. During the heavy rain on Monday, the hospital had to cancel day treatments, including chemotherapy and other infusions, due to patient safety. One of the recovery ward bays is permanently closed due to the leaks, while the electrical panels near another must be regularly turned off. Staff have labelled the tearoom "the Mater waterfall", due to the four plastic bags hanging from walls to funnel water into buckets. But when SafeWork inspected the site on April 11, no concerns were raised regarding the leaks, the garbage bag patching or the dangerous aspergillus mould outbreak in the hospital's air-conditioning system. The watchdog was called to inspect the hospital regarding potential electrical issues. SafeWork says no concerns were raised during the inspection regarding mould and refused to answer any questions regarding other issues, including the leaks and electrical work. "SafeWork NSW enquiries are ongoing. No further comment can be made at this time," a spokesperson said. Following the Newcastle Herald's inquiries last week, SafeWork inspected the hospital's leaks on Monday. NSW Nurses and Midwives (NSWNMA) Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said the situation was "appalling" and "a constant battle". "This is getting worse and worse, yet they continue to make us work in this dangerous environment," Ms Smith said. "You walk in thinking what's today going to look like, if it's safe to come to work and if your patients. That's the stuff on your mind every day." Despite the recent inspection, Ms Smith "didn't leave the meeting [with SafeWork] thinking things were going to change". "I'm sick of hearing there's no budget to fix this. That's not a reasonable answer," she said. It's not the first time the NSWNMA has raised concerns about SafeWork. Last year, the union slammed the effectiveness of the inspections in Auditor-General's review of the organisation. "The Association is observing inspectors attend health premises where there are clear breaches of the WHS legislation without issuing an Improvement or Prohibition Notice," the submission stated. In the past 12 months, SafeWork has received four complaints about the Mater, along with notification of two incidents. Inspectors have also previously visited the site in relation to a complaint about overcrowding in the emergency department. The Mater is managed under a public-private partnership by a consortium called Novacare, which is composed of four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest. Novacare subcontracted its hard facilities management to Honeywell, who ignored the Herald's questions and has previously directed them to the state government. Hunter New England Health (HNEH), who provides in-patient and clinical services at the Mater, reiterated Novcare was responsible for the hospital's maintenance. "We remain focused on protecting the health and safety of our patients, staff, and visitors, and are working closely with both Novacare and Calvary Mater Newcastle to address the current facility management issues and ensure all required standards are met," a HNEH spokesperson said. The Calvary Mater was forced to cancel chemotherapy treatments this week due to internal flooding caused by severe leaks, which a SafeWork NSW inspection last month seemingly missed. The leaks have been a persistent problem for years and in the past four months have become so bad that leaking windows are being patched up with plastic garbage bags and drained into bins. During the heavy rain on Monday, the hospital had to cancel day treatments, including chemotherapy and other infusions, due to patient safety. One of the recovery ward bays is permanently closed due to the leaks, while the electrical panels near another must be regularly turned off. Staff have labelled the tearoom "the Mater waterfall", due to the four plastic bags hanging from walls to funnel water into buckets. But when SafeWork inspected the site on April 11, no concerns were raised regarding the leaks, the garbage bag patching or the dangerous aspergillus mould outbreak in the hospital's air-conditioning system. The watchdog was called to inspect the hospital regarding potential electrical issues. SafeWork says no concerns were raised during the inspection regarding mould and refused to answer any questions regarding other issues, including the leaks and electrical work. "SafeWork NSW enquiries are ongoing. No further comment can be made at this time," a spokesperson said. Following the Newcastle Herald's inquiries last week, SafeWork inspected the hospital's leaks on Monday. NSW Nurses and Midwives (NSWNMA) Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said the situation was "appalling" and "a constant battle". "This is getting worse and worse, yet they continue to make us work in this dangerous environment," Ms Smith said. "You walk in thinking what's today going to look like, if it's safe to come to work and if your patients. That's the stuff on your mind every day." Despite the recent inspection, Ms Smith "didn't leave the meeting [with SafeWork] thinking things were going to change". "I'm sick of hearing there's no budget to fix this. That's not a reasonable answer," she said. It's not the first time the NSWNMA has raised concerns about SafeWork. Last year, the union slammed the effectiveness of the inspections in Auditor-General's review of the organisation. "The Association is observing inspectors attend health premises where there are clear breaches of the WHS legislation without issuing an Improvement or Prohibition Notice," the submission stated. In the past 12 months, SafeWork has received four complaints about the Mater, along with notification of two incidents. Inspectors have also previously visited the site in relation to a complaint about overcrowding in the emergency department. The Mater is managed under a public-private partnership by a consortium called Novacare, which is composed of four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest. Novacare subcontracted its hard facilities management to Honeywell, who ignored the Herald's questions and has previously directed them to the state government. Hunter New England Health (HNEH), who provides in-patient and clinical services at the Mater, reiterated Novcare was responsible for the hospital's maintenance. "We remain focused on protecting the health and safety of our patients, staff, and visitors, and are working closely with both Novacare and Calvary Mater Newcastle to address the current facility management issues and ensure all required standards are met," a HNEH spokesperson said. The Calvary Mater was forced to cancel chemotherapy treatments this week due to internal flooding caused by severe leaks, which a SafeWork NSW inspection last month seemingly missed. The leaks have been a persistent problem for years and in the past four months have become so bad that leaking windows are being patched up with plastic garbage bags and drained into bins. During the heavy rain on Monday, the hospital had to cancel day treatments, including chemotherapy and other infusions, due to patient safety. One of the recovery ward bays is permanently closed due to the leaks, while the electrical panels near another must be regularly turned off. Staff have labelled the tearoom "the Mater waterfall", due to the four plastic bags hanging from walls to funnel water into buckets. But when SafeWork inspected the site on April 11, no concerns were raised regarding the leaks, the garbage bag patching or the dangerous aspergillus mould outbreak in the hospital's air-conditioning system. The watchdog was called to inspect the hospital regarding potential electrical issues. SafeWork says no concerns were raised during the inspection regarding mould and refused to answer any questions regarding other issues, including the leaks and electrical work. "SafeWork NSW enquiries are ongoing. No further comment can be made at this time," a spokesperson said. Following the Newcastle Herald's inquiries last week, SafeWork inspected the hospital's leaks on Monday. NSW Nurses and Midwives (NSWNMA) Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said the situation was "appalling" and "a constant battle". "This is getting worse and worse, yet they continue to make us work in this dangerous environment," Ms Smith said. "You walk in thinking what's today going to look like, if it's safe to come to work and if your patients. That's the stuff on your mind every day." Despite the recent inspection, Ms Smith "didn't leave the meeting [with SafeWork] thinking things were going to change". "I'm sick of hearing there's no budget to fix this. That's not a reasonable answer," she said. It's not the first time the NSWNMA has raised concerns about SafeWork. Last year, the union slammed the effectiveness of the inspections in Auditor-General's review of the organisation. "The Association is observing inspectors attend health premises where there are clear breaches of the WHS legislation without issuing an Improvement or Prohibition Notice," the submission stated. In the past 12 months, SafeWork has received four complaints about the Mater, along with notification of two incidents. Inspectors have also previously visited the site in relation to a complaint about overcrowding in the emergency department. The Mater is managed under a public-private partnership by a consortium called Novacare, which is composed of four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest. Novacare subcontracted its hard facilities management to Honeywell, who ignored the Herald's questions and has previously directed them to the state government. Hunter New England Health (HNEH), who provides in-patient and clinical services at the Mater, reiterated Novcare was responsible for the hospital's maintenance. "We remain focused on protecting the health and safety of our patients, staff, and visitors, and are working closely with both Novacare and Calvary Mater Newcastle to address the current facility management issues and ensure all required standards are met," a HNEH spokesperson said. The Calvary Mater was forced to cancel chemotherapy treatments this week due to internal flooding caused by severe leaks, which a SafeWork NSW inspection last month seemingly missed. The leaks have been a persistent problem for years and in the past four months have become so bad that leaking windows are being patched up with plastic garbage bags and drained into bins. During the heavy rain on Monday, the hospital had to cancel day treatments, including chemotherapy and other infusions, due to patient safety. One of the recovery ward bays is permanently closed due to the leaks, while the electrical panels near another must be regularly turned off. Staff have labelled the tearoom "the Mater waterfall", due to the four plastic bags hanging from walls to funnel water into buckets. But when SafeWork inspected the site on April 11, no concerns were raised regarding the leaks, the garbage bag patching or the dangerous aspergillus mould outbreak in the hospital's air-conditioning system. The watchdog was called to inspect the hospital regarding potential electrical issues. SafeWork says no concerns were raised during the inspection regarding mould and refused to answer any questions regarding other issues, including the leaks and electrical work. "SafeWork NSW enquiries are ongoing. No further comment can be made at this time," a spokesperson said. Following the Newcastle Herald's inquiries last week, SafeWork inspected the hospital's leaks on Monday. NSW Nurses and Midwives (NSWNMA) Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said the situation was "appalling" and "a constant battle". "This is getting worse and worse, yet they continue to make us work in this dangerous environment," Ms Smith said. "You walk in thinking what's today going to look like, if it's safe to come to work and if your patients. That's the stuff on your mind every day." Despite the recent inspection, Ms Smith "didn't leave the meeting [with SafeWork] thinking things were going to change". "I'm sick of hearing there's no budget to fix this. That's not a reasonable answer," she said. It's not the first time the NSWNMA has raised concerns about SafeWork. Last year, the union slammed the effectiveness of the inspections in Auditor-General's review of the organisation. "The Association is observing inspectors attend health premises where there are clear breaches of the WHS legislation without issuing an Improvement or Prohibition Notice," the submission stated. In the past 12 months, SafeWork has received four complaints about the Mater, along with notification of two incidents. Inspectors have also previously visited the site in relation to a complaint about overcrowding in the emergency department. The Mater is managed under a public-private partnership by a consortium called Novacare, which is composed of four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest. Novacare subcontracted its hard facilities management to Honeywell, who ignored the Herald's questions and has previously directed them to the state government. Hunter New England Health (HNEH), who provides in-patient and clinical services at the Mater, reiterated Novcare was responsible for the hospital's maintenance. "We remain focused on protecting the health and safety of our patients, staff, and visitors, and are working closely with both Novacare and Calvary Mater Newcastle to address the current facility management issues and ensure all required standards are met," a HNEH spokesperson said.
The Advertiser
13-05-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
'Dangerous': mould and leaking windows plague Mater hospital
A mould that poses a risk to vulnerable patients has been found in the Calvary Mater Hospital as the nurse union raises the alarm about the "dangerous" conditions. Moisture has become an issue in the Waratah hospital where leaking windows are being patched up with plastic and drained into garbage bins. Aspergillus mould has been detected in multiple areas in the hospital. The mould is a danger to people with lowered immune systems, very young people and the elderly. The health district and Calvary say they are working hard to minimise any risk associated with exposure to aspergillus through deep cleaning and installation of additional air filtration units. NSW Nurses and Midwives Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said mould was detected in the ward with the most immunocompromised patients. "We have mental health and cancer patients and toxicology and drug and alcohol," she said. "Our cancer patients come from the whole area, so not just the Newcastle area, the whole of Hunter New England. "They're on immunotherapy, chemotherapy and their immune systems are compromised and the patient leaflet [about the mould] says if you're fit and healthy, this is not such a problem, but it's the fact that it's in spores in the air. "So if you're unwell, immunocompromised, it can actually end up killing you, so it's pretty significant." Ms Smith said the windows in two bays of the recovery area and in the tea room leaked when it rained. Plastic and absorbent pads had been taped onto the windows to prevent water entry. The plastic sheets drained water into garbage bins. "It's embarrassing," she said. "Our tea room is at the end of the hallway, so patients are being wheeled down to theatre, and then if that door is open, what are they looking at? Plastic taped to windows - it doesn't look great, does it?" "If you were being wheeled down to have an operation, you wouldn't exactly think 'wow, great'. "Even for the staff, that's the place that you can go and have your break, but it's wet. You're constantly having to check where things are. You can't have the electrical panels on. It's just dangerous, basically." Hunter New England Local Health District executive director operations Susan Heyman said additional steps had been taken to minimise the risk of mould transmission, including deep cleaning and installing additional air filtration units in the affected areas of the hospital. "I want to assure the community that, alongside hospital management, we are working hard to minimise any risk associated with exposure to Aspergillus, which was recently detected at the Calvary Mater Newcastle," Ms Heyman said. "The Calvary Mater Newcastle team has now spoken to all impacted patients and staff members. "We acknowledge that this information may cause some distress or concern to our patients and staff. "I assure the community that we are taking these actions to minimise any potential risks of exposure, while appropriate next steps are determined. "We will continue to keep staff and patients updated." Ms Smith said the situation was proof that the hospital's public-private partnership model did not work. Facility management services at the Calvary Mater are delivered by a consortium called Novacare under a public-private partnership. Novacare comprises four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest. Novacare subcontracted its hard facilities management to Honeywell. Honeywell said it was not in a position to comment and directed questions to the state government. "There's basically this fighting about who should pay for the bill because basically the whole facade of the building has to be resealed," Ms Smith said. "They need to stop blaming each other and actually just fix the problem. These public-private partnerships don't work. You can't put people's lives at risk to make some money." Ms Smith said this was exemplified by Joe's Law, which bans public-private partnerships in acute hospitals. It is named after two-year-old Joe Massa, who died from a cardiac arrest after his parents took him to the emergency department of the Northern Beaches Hospital. "The government needs to just put their hand up and say 'we've got it wrong, the public-private partnerships don't work' and the hospital needs to come back under a fully public system," she said. A mould that poses a risk to vulnerable patients has been found in the Calvary Mater Hospital as the nurse union raises the alarm about the "dangerous" conditions. Moisture has become an issue in the Waratah hospital where leaking windows are being patched up with plastic and drained into garbage bins. Aspergillus mould has been detected in multiple areas in the hospital. The mould is a danger to people with lowered immune systems, very young people and the elderly. The health district and Calvary say they are working hard to minimise any risk associated with exposure to aspergillus through deep cleaning and installation of additional air filtration units. NSW Nurses and Midwives Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said mould was detected in the ward with the most immunocompromised patients. "We have mental health and cancer patients and toxicology and drug and alcohol," she said. "Our cancer patients come from the whole area, so not just the Newcastle area, the whole of Hunter New England. "They're on immunotherapy, chemotherapy and their immune systems are compromised and the patient leaflet [about the mould] says if you're fit and healthy, this is not such a problem, but it's the fact that it's in spores in the air. "So if you're unwell, immunocompromised, it can actually end up killing you, so it's pretty significant." Ms Smith said the windows in two bays of the recovery area and in the tea room leaked when it rained. Plastic and absorbent pads had been taped onto the windows to prevent water entry. The plastic sheets drained water into garbage bins. "It's embarrassing," she said. "Our tea room is at the end of the hallway, so patients are being wheeled down to theatre, and then if that door is open, what are they looking at? Plastic taped to windows - it doesn't look great, does it?" "If you were being wheeled down to have an operation, you wouldn't exactly think 'wow, great'. "Even for the staff, that's the place that you can go and have your break, but it's wet. You're constantly having to check where things are. You can't have the electrical panels on. It's just dangerous, basically." Hunter New England Local Health District executive director operations Susan Heyman said additional steps had been taken to minimise the risk of mould transmission, including deep cleaning and installing additional air filtration units in the affected areas of the hospital. "I want to assure the community that, alongside hospital management, we are working hard to minimise any risk associated with exposure to Aspergillus, which was recently detected at the Calvary Mater Newcastle," Ms Heyman said. "The Calvary Mater Newcastle team has now spoken to all impacted patients and staff members. "We acknowledge that this information may cause some distress or concern to our patients and staff. "I assure the community that we are taking these actions to minimise any potential risks of exposure, while appropriate next steps are determined. "We will continue to keep staff and patients updated." Ms Smith said the situation was proof that the hospital's public-private partnership model did not work. Facility management services at the Calvary Mater are delivered by a consortium called Novacare under a public-private partnership. Novacare comprises four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest. Novacare subcontracted its hard facilities management to Honeywell. Honeywell said it was not in a position to comment and directed questions to the state government. "There's basically this fighting about who should pay for the bill because basically the whole facade of the building has to be resealed," Ms Smith said. "They need to stop blaming each other and actually just fix the problem. These public-private partnerships don't work. You can't put people's lives at risk to make some money." Ms Smith said this was exemplified by Joe's Law, which bans public-private partnerships in acute hospitals. It is named after two-year-old Joe Massa, who died from a cardiac arrest after his parents took him to the emergency department of the Northern Beaches Hospital. "The government needs to just put their hand up and say 'we've got it wrong, the public-private partnerships don't work' and the hospital needs to come back under a fully public system," she said. A mould that poses a risk to vulnerable patients has been found in the Calvary Mater Hospital as the nurse union raises the alarm about the "dangerous" conditions. Moisture has become an issue in the Waratah hospital where leaking windows are being patched up with plastic and drained into garbage bins. Aspergillus mould has been detected in multiple areas in the hospital. The mould is a danger to people with lowered immune systems, very young people and the elderly. The health district and Calvary say they are working hard to minimise any risk associated with exposure to aspergillus through deep cleaning and installation of additional air filtration units. NSW Nurses and Midwives Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said mould was detected in the ward with the most immunocompromised patients. "We have mental health and cancer patients and toxicology and drug and alcohol," she said. "Our cancer patients come from the whole area, so not just the Newcastle area, the whole of Hunter New England. "They're on immunotherapy, chemotherapy and their immune systems are compromised and the patient leaflet [about the mould] says if you're fit and healthy, this is not such a problem, but it's the fact that it's in spores in the air. "So if you're unwell, immunocompromised, it can actually end up killing you, so it's pretty significant." Ms Smith said the windows in two bays of the recovery area and in the tea room leaked when it rained. Plastic and absorbent pads had been taped onto the windows to prevent water entry. The plastic sheets drained water into garbage bins. "It's embarrassing," she said. "Our tea room is at the end of the hallway, so patients are being wheeled down to theatre, and then if that door is open, what are they looking at? Plastic taped to windows - it doesn't look great, does it?" "If you were being wheeled down to have an operation, you wouldn't exactly think 'wow, great'. "Even for the staff, that's the place that you can go and have your break, but it's wet. You're constantly having to check where things are. You can't have the electrical panels on. It's just dangerous, basically." Hunter New England Local Health District executive director operations Susan Heyman said additional steps had been taken to minimise the risk of mould transmission, including deep cleaning and installing additional air filtration units in the affected areas of the hospital. "I want to assure the community that, alongside hospital management, we are working hard to minimise any risk associated with exposure to Aspergillus, which was recently detected at the Calvary Mater Newcastle," Ms Heyman said. "The Calvary Mater Newcastle team has now spoken to all impacted patients and staff members. "We acknowledge that this information may cause some distress or concern to our patients and staff. "I assure the community that we are taking these actions to minimise any potential risks of exposure, while appropriate next steps are determined. "We will continue to keep staff and patients updated." Ms Smith said the situation was proof that the hospital's public-private partnership model did not work. Facility management services at the Calvary Mater are delivered by a consortium called Novacare under a public-private partnership. Novacare comprises four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest. Novacare subcontracted its hard facilities management to Honeywell. Honeywell said it was not in a position to comment and directed questions to the state government. "There's basically this fighting about who should pay for the bill because basically the whole facade of the building has to be resealed," Ms Smith said. "They need to stop blaming each other and actually just fix the problem. These public-private partnerships don't work. You can't put people's lives at risk to make some money." Ms Smith said this was exemplified by Joe's Law, which bans public-private partnerships in acute hospitals. It is named after two-year-old Joe Massa, who died from a cardiac arrest after his parents took him to the emergency department of the Northern Beaches Hospital. "The government needs to just put their hand up and say 'we've got it wrong, the public-private partnerships don't work' and the hospital needs to come back under a fully public system," she said. A mould that poses a risk to vulnerable patients has been found in the Calvary Mater Hospital as the nurse union raises the alarm about the "dangerous" conditions. Moisture has become an issue in the Waratah hospital where leaking windows are being patched up with plastic and drained into garbage bins. Aspergillus mould has been detected in multiple areas in the hospital. The mould is a danger to people with lowered immune systems, very young people and the elderly. The health district and Calvary say they are working hard to minimise any risk associated with exposure to aspergillus through deep cleaning and installation of additional air filtration units. NSW Nurses and Midwives Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said mould was detected in the ward with the most immunocompromised patients. "We have mental health and cancer patients and toxicology and drug and alcohol," she said. "Our cancer patients come from the whole area, so not just the Newcastle area, the whole of Hunter New England. "They're on immunotherapy, chemotherapy and their immune systems are compromised and the patient leaflet [about the mould] says if you're fit and healthy, this is not such a problem, but it's the fact that it's in spores in the air. "So if you're unwell, immunocompromised, it can actually end up killing you, so it's pretty significant." Ms Smith said the windows in two bays of the recovery area and in the tea room leaked when it rained. Plastic and absorbent pads had been taped onto the windows to prevent water entry. The plastic sheets drained water into garbage bins. "It's embarrassing," she said. "Our tea room is at the end of the hallway, so patients are being wheeled down to theatre, and then if that door is open, what are they looking at? Plastic taped to windows - it doesn't look great, does it?" "If you were being wheeled down to have an operation, you wouldn't exactly think 'wow, great'. "Even for the staff, that's the place that you can go and have your break, but it's wet. You're constantly having to check where things are. You can't have the electrical panels on. It's just dangerous, basically." Hunter New England Local Health District executive director operations Susan Heyman said additional steps had been taken to minimise the risk of mould transmission, including deep cleaning and installing additional air filtration units in the affected areas of the hospital. "I want to assure the community that, alongside hospital management, we are working hard to minimise any risk associated with exposure to Aspergillus, which was recently detected at the Calvary Mater Newcastle," Ms Heyman said. "The Calvary Mater Newcastle team has now spoken to all impacted patients and staff members. "We acknowledge that this information may cause some distress or concern to our patients and staff. "I assure the community that we are taking these actions to minimise any potential risks of exposure, while appropriate next steps are determined. "We will continue to keep staff and patients updated." Ms Smith said the situation was proof that the hospital's public-private partnership model did not work. Facility management services at the Calvary Mater are delivered by a consortium called Novacare under a public-private partnership. Novacare comprises four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest. Novacare subcontracted its hard facilities management to Honeywell. Honeywell said it was not in a position to comment and directed questions to the state government. "There's basically this fighting about who should pay for the bill because basically the whole facade of the building has to be resealed," Ms Smith said. "They need to stop blaming each other and actually just fix the problem. These public-private partnerships don't work. You can't put people's lives at risk to make some money." Ms Smith said this was exemplified by Joe's Law, which bans public-private partnerships in acute hospitals. It is named after two-year-old Joe Massa, who died from a cardiac arrest after his parents took him to the emergency department of the Northern Beaches Hospital. "The government needs to just put their hand up and say 'we've got it wrong, the public-private partnerships don't work' and the hospital needs to come back under a fully public system," she said.
The Advertiser
10-05-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
Five workers assaulted in 24 hours, as Mater ED snubbed in safe staff plan
AFTER five assaults in 24 hours in the emergency department, which has left one nurse still off work, staff at Calvary Mater Newcastle have had enough. In the same 24 hours this week, there were nine code blacks called in the ED, a desperate cry for security in response to a potentially dangerous situation. Time and time again, staff apologise to patients stuck in the overcrowded waiting room. They are clearly sick or in pain. At this time of year, the number of patients waiting rarely decreases. As burnt-out staff at the Mater stare down another peak winter season, they are demanding to know why the hospital has been overlooked in the NSW government's move to strengthen nurse-to-patient ratios across the state in public hospitals. Camilla Smith, the Mater branch secretary for the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, said staff were at a "tipping point". "We're a publicly funded hospital, but we are staring down the barrel of being under-resourced in a way that is going to end up with very bad outcomes for our patients," she said. "It makes no sense that the Mater won't have the same resources as every other hospital around us." Phase one of the NSW government's safe staffing levels program is being introduced to level 5 and 6 emergency departments across the state, which treat the most critically ill patients, including the John Hunter Hospital. But ten minutes down the road, Calvary Mater Newcastle, which has a level five ED and provides services that include toxicology, cancer treatment and mental health, has not been included in the rollout. A not-for-profit Catholic healthcare organisation manages the Mater, but it sees public patients and is publicly funded through the Hunter Health District. Patients accessing James Fletcher Hospital, a public mental health facility, must go through the Mater's ED. The Mater's status as an affiliated health organisation has meant that it has been overlooked in the rollout of the government's commitment to employ an additional 2480 nurses across public hospitals over four years. Ms Smith said the government "keeps finding loophole, after loophole" to exclude the Mater, even though the hospital must meet the same standards as public hospitals. "So all the other hospitals are going to get better resources and we're getting less, but we have to do exactly the same amount of work and meet the same KPIs...," she said. "They keep telling us we are on the agenda ... But we have been let down, because we have been on the agenda for well over 12 months and nothing has changed." Under the new system, it's estimated the Mater would receive an additional 20 ED nurses. This would ensure a one-to-one nursing care ratio for ED resuscitation beds on all shifts, and one nurse to three ED treatment spaces and short-stay unit beds on all shifts. The new staffing ratios will be progressively implemented across other key hospital areas throughout NSW in a phased approach, including level 3 and 4 EDs. Health Minister Ryan Park said on Thursday that the taskforce, which includes leaders from the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, NSW Health, and local health districts, had prioritised Level 5 and 6 emergency departments in public hospitals. "Discussions between NSW Health and Calvary Mater are ongoing on the rollout of safe staffing levels," he said. "Since taking office, the NSW government has invested heavily in the health workforce, including major priorities identified by the union and workforce." Calvary Mater Newcastle general manager Roz Everingham said the hospital continued advocating for inclusion in the program. Ms Everingham said violent incidents, like what happened on Sunday, were not unusual at the Mater's ED, which provides care to a high-risk, vulnerable population. "These increased nursing numbers would support the provision of care for patients, while also supporting our front line staff," she said. "We are keen to receive formal notification from the Ministry of Health about our inclusion." Tanya Bradbury, the Mater's operations manager of critical care services, said if the Mater continued to be overlooked, it would result in poor outcomes for the community. "Why is our community going to receive different care, or our staff a different level of safety?" she asked. "It makes no sense that there will be a different level of care for patients that present at Calvary Mater compared to a hospital that is 10 kilometres away." Fed up with the understaffing leading to extreme cases of burnout, the nursing union's Ms Smith questioned why the Mater was "all of a sudden being treated differently". "Our ED has the highest number of behavioural patients across all level 5 and 6 EDs in the area, and yet we are still here fighting to be included," she said. "We are a hospital that is publicly funded. We have been absolutely isolated by the government and they have never done this before. When they were looking at nursing per patient hours, we were given those straight away. There was no argument. Yet, for these safe staffing levels, we're having to fight for it every step of the way." The Mater's emergency department nursing unit manager, Andrew Adams, said staff were regularly overwhelmed by the lack of resources and just wanted to be treated fairly. Mr Adams said the Mater was not asking for special treatment. He said all staff wanted was what other similar-sized hospitals had been assessed as needing. "We do get a lot of violence and aggression in the workplace," he said. "We need safer staffing ratios to ensure patient care and that our staff are safe." Police confirmed an investigation was under way following an assault at the Mater on Sunday. AFTER five assaults in 24 hours in the emergency department, which has left one nurse still off work, staff at Calvary Mater Newcastle have had enough. In the same 24 hours this week, there were nine code blacks called in the ED, a desperate cry for security in response to a potentially dangerous situation. Time and time again, staff apologise to patients stuck in the overcrowded waiting room. They are clearly sick or in pain. At this time of year, the number of patients waiting rarely decreases. As burnt-out staff at the Mater stare down another peak winter season, they are demanding to know why the hospital has been overlooked in the NSW government's move to strengthen nurse-to-patient ratios across the state in public hospitals. Camilla Smith, the Mater branch secretary for the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, said staff were at a "tipping point". "We're a publicly funded hospital, but we are staring down the barrel of being under-resourced in a way that is going to end up with very bad outcomes for our patients," she said. "It makes no sense that the Mater won't have the same resources as every other hospital around us." Phase one of the NSW government's safe staffing levels program is being introduced to level 5 and 6 emergency departments across the state, which treat the most critically ill patients, including the John Hunter Hospital. But ten minutes down the road, Calvary Mater Newcastle, which has a level five ED and provides services that include toxicology, cancer treatment and mental health, has not been included in the rollout. A not-for-profit Catholic healthcare organisation manages the Mater, but it sees public patients and is publicly funded through the Hunter Health District. Patients accessing James Fletcher Hospital, a public mental health facility, must go through the Mater's ED. The Mater's status as an affiliated health organisation has meant that it has been overlooked in the rollout of the government's commitment to employ an additional 2480 nurses across public hospitals over four years. Ms Smith said the government "keeps finding loophole, after loophole" to exclude the Mater, even though the hospital must meet the same standards as public hospitals. "So all the other hospitals are going to get better resources and we're getting less, but we have to do exactly the same amount of work and meet the same KPIs...," she said. "They keep telling us we are on the agenda ... But we have been let down, because we have been on the agenda for well over 12 months and nothing has changed." Under the new system, it's estimated the Mater would receive an additional 20 ED nurses. This would ensure a one-to-one nursing care ratio for ED resuscitation beds on all shifts, and one nurse to three ED treatment spaces and short-stay unit beds on all shifts. The new staffing ratios will be progressively implemented across other key hospital areas throughout NSW in a phased approach, including level 3 and 4 EDs. Health Minister Ryan Park said on Thursday that the taskforce, which includes leaders from the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, NSW Health, and local health districts, had prioritised Level 5 and 6 emergency departments in public hospitals. "Discussions between NSW Health and Calvary Mater are ongoing on the rollout of safe staffing levels," he said. "Since taking office, the NSW government has invested heavily in the health workforce, including major priorities identified by the union and workforce." Calvary Mater Newcastle general manager Roz Everingham said the hospital continued advocating for inclusion in the program. Ms Everingham said violent incidents, like what happened on Sunday, were not unusual at the Mater's ED, which provides care to a high-risk, vulnerable population. "These increased nursing numbers would support the provision of care for patients, while also supporting our front line staff," she said. "We are keen to receive formal notification from the Ministry of Health about our inclusion." Tanya Bradbury, the Mater's operations manager of critical care services, said if the Mater continued to be overlooked, it would result in poor outcomes for the community. "Why is our community going to receive different care, or our staff a different level of safety?" she asked. "It makes no sense that there will be a different level of care for patients that present at Calvary Mater compared to a hospital that is 10 kilometres away." Fed up with the understaffing leading to extreme cases of burnout, the nursing union's Ms Smith questioned why the Mater was "all of a sudden being treated differently". "Our ED has the highest number of behavioural patients across all level 5 and 6 EDs in the area, and yet we are still here fighting to be included," she said. "We are a hospital that is publicly funded. We have been absolutely isolated by the government and they have never done this before. When they were looking at nursing per patient hours, we were given those straight away. There was no argument. Yet, for these safe staffing levels, we're having to fight for it every step of the way." The Mater's emergency department nursing unit manager, Andrew Adams, said staff were regularly overwhelmed by the lack of resources and just wanted to be treated fairly. Mr Adams said the Mater was not asking for special treatment. He said all staff wanted was what other similar-sized hospitals had been assessed as needing. "We do get a lot of violence and aggression in the workplace," he said. "We need safer staffing ratios to ensure patient care and that our staff are safe." Police confirmed an investigation was under way following an assault at the Mater on Sunday. AFTER five assaults in 24 hours in the emergency department, which has left one nurse still off work, staff at Calvary Mater Newcastle have had enough. In the same 24 hours this week, there were nine code blacks called in the ED, a desperate cry for security in response to a potentially dangerous situation. Time and time again, staff apologise to patients stuck in the overcrowded waiting room. They are clearly sick or in pain. At this time of year, the number of patients waiting rarely decreases. As burnt-out staff at the Mater stare down another peak winter season, they are demanding to know why the hospital has been overlooked in the NSW government's move to strengthen nurse-to-patient ratios across the state in public hospitals. Camilla Smith, the Mater branch secretary for the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, said staff were at a "tipping point". "We're a publicly funded hospital, but we are staring down the barrel of being under-resourced in a way that is going to end up with very bad outcomes for our patients," she said. "It makes no sense that the Mater won't have the same resources as every other hospital around us." Phase one of the NSW government's safe staffing levels program is being introduced to level 5 and 6 emergency departments across the state, which treat the most critically ill patients, including the John Hunter Hospital. But ten minutes down the road, Calvary Mater Newcastle, which has a level five ED and provides services that include toxicology, cancer treatment and mental health, has not been included in the rollout. A not-for-profit Catholic healthcare organisation manages the Mater, but it sees public patients and is publicly funded through the Hunter Health District. Patients accessing James Fletcher Hospital, a public mental health facility, must go through the Mater's ED. The Mater's status as an affiliated health organisation has meant that it has been overlooked in the rollout of the government's commitment to employ an additional 2480 nurses across public hospitals over four years. Ms Smith said the government "keeps finding loophole, after loophole" to exclude the Mater, even though the hospital must meet the same standards as public hospitals. "So all the other hospitals are going to get better resources and we're getting less, but we have to do exactly the same amount of work and meet the same KPIs...," she said. "They keep telling us we are on the agenda ... But we have been let down, because we have been on the agenda for well over 12 months and nothing has changed." Under the new system, it's estimated the Mater would receive an additional 20 ED nurses. This would ensure a one-to-one nursing care ratio for ED resuscitation beds on all shifts, and one nurse to three ED treatment spaces and short-stay unit beds on all shifts. The new staffing ratios will be progressively implemented across other key hospital areas throughout NSW in a phased approach, including level 3 and 4 EDs. Health Minister Ryan Park said on Thursday that the taskforce, which includes leaders from the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, NSW Health, and local health districts, had prioritised Level 5 and 6 emergency departments in public hospitals. "Discussions between NSW Health and Calvary Mater are ongoing on the rollout of safe staffing levels," he said. "Since taking office, the NSW government has invested heavily in the health workforce, including major priorities identified by the union and workforce." Calvary Mater Newcastle general manager Roz Everingham said the hospital continued advocating for inclusion in the program. Ms Everingham said violent incidents, like what happened on Sunday, were not unusual at the Mater's ED, which provides care to a high-risk, vulnerable population. "These increased nursing numbers would support the provision of care for patients, while also supporting our front line staff," she said. "We are keen to receive formal notification from the Ministry of Health about our inclusion." Tanya Bradbury, the Mater's operations manager of critical care services, said if the Mater continued to be overlooked, it would result in poor outcomes for the community. "Why is our community going to receive different care, or our staff a different level of safety?" she asked. "It makes no sense that there will be a different level of care for patients that present at Calvary Mater compared to a hospital that is 10 kilometres away." Fed up with the understaffing leading to extreme cases of burnout, the nursing union's Ms Smith questioned why the Mater was "all of a sudden being treated differently". "Our ED has the highest number of behavioural patients across all level 5 and 6 EDs in the area, and yet we are still here fighting to be included," she said. "We are a hospital that is publicly funded. We have been absolutely isolated by the government and they have never done this before. When they were looking at nursing per patient hours, we were given those straight away. There was no argument. Yet, for these safe staffing levels, we're having to fight for it every step of the way." The Mater's emergency department nursing unit manager, Andrew Adams, said staff were regularly overwhelmed by the lack of resources and just wanted to be treated fairly. Mr Adams said the Mater was not asking for special treatment. He said all staff wanted was what other similar-sized hospitals had been assessed as needing. "We do get a lot of violence and aggression in the workplace," he said. "We need safer staffing ratios to ensure patient care and that our staff are safe." Police confirmed an investigation was under way following an assault at the Mater on Sunday. AFTER five assaults in 24 hours in the emergency department, which has left one nurse still off work, staff at Calvary Mater Newcastle have had enough. In the same 24 hours this week, there were nine code blacks called in the ED, a desperate cry for security in response to a potentially dangerous situation. Time and time again, staff apologise to patients stuck in the overcrowded waiting room. They are clearly sick or in pain. At this time of year, the number of patients waiting rarely decreases. As burnt-out staff at the Mater stare down another peak winter season, they are demanding to know why the hospital has been overlooked in the NSW government's move to strengthen nurse-to-patient ratios across the state in public hospitals. Camilla Smith, the Mater branch secretary for the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, said staff were at a "tipping point". "We're a publicly funded hospital, but we are staring down the barrel of being under-resourced in a way that is going to end up with very bad outcomes for our patients," she said. "It makes no sense that the Mater won't have the same resources as every other hospital around us." Phase one of the NSW government's safe staffing levels program is being introduced to level 5 and 6 emergency departments across the state, which treat the most critically ill patients, including the John Hunter Hospital. But ten minutes down the road, Calvary Mater Newcastle, which has a level five ED and provides services that include toxicology, cancer treatment and mental health, has not been included in the rollout. A not-for-profit Catholic healthcare organisation manages the Mater, but it sees public patients and is publicly funded through the Hunter Health District. Patients accessing James Fletcher Hospital, a public mental health facility, must go through the Mater's ED. The Mater's status as an affiliated health organisation has meant that it has been overlooked in the rollout of the government's commitment to employ an additional 2480 nurses across public hospitals over four years. Ms Smith said the government "keeps finding loophole, after loophole" to exclude the Mater, even though the hospital must meet the same standards as public hospitals. "So all the other hospitals are going to get better resources and we're getting less, but we have to do exactly the same amount of work and meet the same KPIs...," she said. "They keep telling us we are on the agenda ... But we have been let down, because we have been on the agenda for well over 12 months and nothing has changed." Under the new system, it's estimated the Mater would receive an additional 20 ED nurses. This would ensure a one-to-one nursing care ratio for ED resuscitation beds on all shifts, and one nurse to three ED treatment spaces and short-stay unit beds on all shifts. The new staffing ratios will be progressively implemented across other key hospital areas throughout NSW in a phased approach, including level 3 and 4 EDs. Health Minister Ryan Park said on Thursday that the taskforce, which includes leaders from the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, NSW Health, and local health districts, had prioritised Level 5 and 6 emergency departments in public hospitals. "Discussions between NSW Health and Calvary Mater are ongoing on the rollout of safe staffing levels," he said. "Since taking office, the NSW government has invested heavily in the health workforce, including major priorities identified by the union and workforce." Calvary Mater Newcastle general manager Roz Everingham said the hospital continued advocating for inclusion in the program. Ms Everingham said violent incidents, like what happened on Sunday, were not unusual at the Mater's ED, which provides care to a high-risk, vulnerable population. "These increased nursing numbers would support the provision of care for patients, while also supporting our front line staff," she said. "We are keen to receive formal notification from the Ministry of Health about our inclusion." Tanya Bradbury, the Mater's operations manager of critical care services, said if the Mater continued to be overlooked, it would result in poor outcomes for the community. "Why is our community going to receive different care, or our staff a different level of safety?" she asked. "It makes no sense that there will be a different level of care for patients that present at Calvary Mater compared to a hospital that is 10 kilometres away." Fed up with the understaffing leading to extreme cases of burnout, the nursing union's Ms Smith questioned why the Mater was "all of a sudden being treated differently". "Our ED has the highest number of behavioural patients across all level 5 and 6 EDs in the area, and yet we are still here fighting to be included," she said. "We are a hospital that is publicly funded. We have been absolutely isolated by the government and they have never done this before. When they were looking at nursing per patient hours, we were given those straight away. There was no argument. Yet, for these safe staffing levels, we're having to fight for it every step of the way." The Mater's emergency department nursing unit manager, Andrew Adams, said staff were regularly overwhelmed by the lack of resources and just wanted to be treated fairly. Mr Adams said the Mater was not asking for special treatment. He said all staff wanted was what other similar-sized hospitals had been assessed as needing. "We do get a lot of violence and aggression in the workplace," he said. "We need safer staffing ratios to ensure patient care and that our staff are safe." Police confirmed an investigation was under way following an assault at the Mater on Sunday.
