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ABC News
27-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Healthscope insists 'business as usual' at Darwin Private Hospital, amid receivership
Healthscope has moved to quell fears the Northern Territory could lose its only private hospital, as financial troubles cast uncertainty over the medical centre's future. Healthscope is Australia's second-largest private hospital operator, running 37 hospitals across the country, including Darwin Private Hospital (DPH). The financially troubled operator collapsed into receivership on Monday, just one week before its maternity services at DPH were due to end on June 6. The company is now looking for new owners, having appointed corporate restructuring firm McGrathNicol as its receiver. The instability is particularly unnerving for patients in the NT, where public hospitals are often stretched to capacity and the looming closure of DPH's birthing ward is prompting women to travel interstate. Healthscope senior director of corporate affairs, Jim Cooper, said DPH would continue to operate all services as normal except maternity care. "It is completely, 100 per cent business at usual at Darwin Private," he told ABC Radio Darwin. "Our staff are there ready to care for you. Bookings are being taken as normal." Mr Cooper said Healthscope anticipated the process of finding new owners would take about 8 to 12 weeks. He said the company had already received 10 indicative offers for either the whole network or for individual hospitals. "Finding an owner won't be the problem," he said. "It'll just be a matter of what is the best ownership structure going forward." He said Healthscope had enough funds to keep all hospitals open during the sale process, with the Commonwealth Bank offering an additional $100 million in loan funding as extra support. "We can go on as long as we need to until we get clarity, so there will be no issue with money drying up or any pressure on hospitals staying open," he said. The Australian Medical Association's (AMA) new NT president, John Zorbas, said the sector needed a concrete timeline for the transition. "Our main priority here is to ensure … the safe care of patients in Darwin Private Hospital and the knock-on effects that Royal Darwin Hospital would suffer were Darwin Private to close," he told ABC Radio Darwin. Dr Zorbas said the NT's public health system was "bursting at the seams". NT Health Minister Steve Edgington said the collapse of Healthscope was "extremely disappointing" following the company's closure of its Darwin maternity services. He said he hoped a buyer would soon take over operation of the private hospital. "This is extremely important and our focus is really all about ensuring that Territorians have choice when it comes to the public and private system," he said. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said he recognised the situation was "highly distressing to patients, staff and local communities". However, he said the government would not offer a taxpayer bailout. When DPH closes its birthing ward on June 6, the NT will be the only jurisdiction in Australia without private maternity services. Despite outrage from expectant mothers, Mr Cooper said he doubted the hospital's future operator would reinstate those services. "The decision to close the maternity service was not so much due to ownership concerns or financial challenges at the parent company level," he said. "It was really about the fact we've seen birth numbers decline in the last decade, from say 700 [per year] to less than 300 now. "It's just not feasible for us to continue to run a maternity service on those very low birth numbers."
CBS News
01-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Popular restaurant in Waterford Township considered a total loss after fire
A popular restaurant and pub in Southeast Michigan has been destroyed in a fire. Fork n' Pint on Cass Lake in Oakland County's Waterford Township, known for its rustic charm, has been in business for about 15 years. The patio area included outdoor heaters and fire pits. The menu included salads, sandwiches and artisan pizza, according to its website. The venue had been taking reservations for Mother's Day brunch in recent days. The fire broke out about 5:45 a.m. Thursday. Waterford Fire Department Batallian Chief Jim Cooper said the initial call reported flames behind the building. But by the time the crews arrived, the fire had burned through the back of the building and into the roof. No injuries were reported. "It was a big loss for the community this building here has been in service under this owner for a few years now, always good service to this building," Cooper said. Because part of the roof had collapsed, the fire department concluded it was unsafe for the firefighters to go inside. Instead, the goal became keeping the fire from spreading further. Cooper said it could be days or even weeks before the cause is known. In the meantime, Cass Elizabeth Road immediately in front of the restaurant is blocked to traffic. "For the rest of the day we will be out here keeping eyes on this thing," Cooper said.
