Latest news with #JoeMassa
West Australian
07-08-2025
- Health
- West Australian
Life-saving tech for kids absent at under-fire hospital
Potentially life-saving safety equipment for seriously ill children has been missing from a controversial hospital where a toddler and newborn died after waiting for care. A damning report into Sydney's troubled Northern Beaches Hospital was published without announcement on the Clinical Excellence Commission website earlier in August. The review identified a concerning absence of safety cameras over the beds of seriously ill newborns and children at the hospital, which was built and operates under a controversial public-private partnership model. The cameras were standard across the broader NSW Health network, but the inquiry said the Healthscope-owned hospital appeared to be running in isolation. The report's release follows the deaths of two children left waiting for care at the facility. Newborn Harper Atkinson died after treatment at the hospital in February, with her mother believing an hour-long wait for surgery contributed to the death. Toddler Joe Massa collapsed and died at the same hospital in September 2024 after a three-hour wait in the emergency department. His mother Elouise Massa said reading the inquiry findings made her feel sick to the core. "It reaffirms what I have been thinking about the gaps and the inequity that exists at the hospital ... and it's alarming," she told AAP on Thursday. Ms Massa called for immediate action from the hospital's private operator and the state government. "Joe died on me on the 14th of September," she said. "And to think that we have to wait 12 months. That's not good enough." Independent state MP Michael Regan, whose seat covers much of the area surrounding the hospital, said he would push for swift implementation of recommended measures to improve outcomes. They included stronger governance, ensuring access to critical training and systems, boosting paediatric and escalation capabilities, and ending duplicative reporting. "It's encouraging that actionable recommendations have been made, but words alone won't rebuild public trust," he said. The review team found the hospital staff were committed and professional but highlighted a need for stronger leadership. "It is the cultural and structural challenges rooted in the (private-public partnership) model that need fixing," Mr Regan said. Health Minister Ryan Park said he was confident the report would bring about important structural change. A Healthscope spokesperson confirmed safety cameras had been delivered to the hospital and would be in operation from September 4. The hospital would work alongside the commission and Northern Sydney Local Health District to enact all recommendations in the proposed timeframes, they said. A significant issue identified in the report was the complexities associated with operating under a public-private partnership. "Despite these challenges, the team at Northern Beaches Hospital continue to meet or exceed the performance of comparable NSW public hospitals on most clinical measures," the spokesperson said in response to the concern. Healthscope went to the government in 2023 to terminate their $2 billion contract to build and run the public hospital over 20 years, citing insufficient funding and poor health network integration among other reasons. But the NSW government, which has banned future public-private hospital partnerships, rejected the request. It has since established a task force to examine the future of the deal.
Perth Now
07-08-2025
- Health
- Perth Now
Life-saving tech for kids absent at under-fire hospital
Potentially life-saving safety equipment for seriously ill children has been missing from a controversial hospital where a toddler and newborn died after waiting for care. A damning report into Sydney's troubled Northern Beaches Hospital was published without announcement on the Clinical Excellence Commission website earlier in August. The review identified a concerning absence of safety cameras over the beds of seriously ill newborns and children at the hospital, which was built and operates under a controversial public-private partnership model. The cameras were standard across the broader NSW Health network, but the inquiry said the Healthscope-owned hospital appeared to be running in isolation. The report's release follows the deaths of two children left waiting for care at the facility. Newborn Harper Atkinson died after treatment at the hospital in February, with her mother believing an hour-long wait for surgery contributed to the death. Toddler Joe Massa collapsed and died at the same hospital in September 2024 after a three-hour wait in the emergency department. His mother Elouise Massa said reading the inquiry findings made her feel sick to the core. "It reaffirms what I have been thinking about the gaps and the inequity that exists at the hospital ... and it's alarming," she told AAP on Thursday. Ms Massa called for immediate action from the hospital's private operator and the state government. "Joe died on me on the 14th of September," she said. "And to think that we have to wait 12 months. That's not good enough." Independent state MP Michael Regan, whose seat covers much of the area surrounding the hospital, said he would push for swift implementation of recommended measures to improve outcomes. They included stronger governance, ensuring access to critical training and systems, boosting paediatric and escalation capabilities, and ending duplicative reporting. "It's encouraging that actionable recommendations have been made, but words alone won't rebuild public trust," he said. The review team found the hospital staff were committed and professional but highlighted a need for stronger leadership. "It is the cultural and structural challenges rooted in the (private-public partnership) model that need fixing," Mr Regan said. Health Minister Ryan Park said he was confident the report would bring about important structural change. A Healthscope spokesperson confirmed safety cameras had been delivered to the hospital and would be in operation from September 4. The hospital would work alongside the commission and Northern Sydney Local Health District to enact all recommendations in the proposed timeframes, they said. A significant issue identified in the report was the complexities associated with operating under a public-private partnership. "Despite these challenges, the team at Northern Beaches Hospital continue to meet or exceed the performance of comparable NSW public hospitals on most clinical measures," the spokesperson said in response to the concern. Healthscope went to the government in 2023 to terminate their $2 billion contract to build and run the public hospital over 20 years, citing insufficient funding and poor health network integration among other reasons. But the NSW government, which has banned future public-private hospital partnerships, rejected the request. It has since established a task force to examine the future of the deal.
News.com.au
19-06-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
NSW government seeking power to terminate Northern Beaches Hospital contract
The NSW government will have power to terminate the operating contract of the embattled Northern Beaches Hospital as if a default had occurred under proposed legislative amendments, following the tragic deaths of two children. Two-year-old Joe Massa and newborn Harper Atkinson both died at the Sydney hospital in unrelated incidents since September, leading the government to ban any future public-private partnerships (PPPs) for acute care hospitals. The state government will next week introduce amendments to a bill by Wakehurst MP Michael Regan, which would allow the government, if required, to terminate the contract of operator Healthscope as if a default had occurred. It comes after receivers were appointed to Healthscope's parent entities – which the NSW government considers a default – with the bill giving Health Minister Ryan Park power to issue a termination notice if an agreement is not reached. Treasurer Daniel Moohkey would also be empowered to ensure that compensation negotiations occur in a 'reasonable time frame' and that an independent person would be appointed to determine compensation if an agreement is not reached. Mr Moohkey said the decision was not taken lightly. 'We are now in a position where the Liberal's privatisation mess means Healthscope's receivers are negotiating the future of the Northern Beaches Hospital,' he said. 'While an agreed exit from this failed PPP contract remains my preference – I must ensure the government has the right to step in and protect the Northern Beaches community from this dragging on.' Mr Park said the state government had 'made it clear from the very beginning that we don't support this sort of arrangement. 'This is a complex contract but the community deserves certainty. 'The other mob may have created this mess, but we are going to be the ones to clean it up.' Healthscope is the country's second-largest hospital operator, with a network of 37 hospitals across Australia. Thousands of staff and patients were left in limbo last month after Canada-based Brookfield Asset Management offered to hand control of the company to lenders. Despite an $100m funding lifeline by Commonwealth Bank and Westpac last month amid the search for a new owner, Healthscope's future remains in doubt. Earlier that month, Wakehurst MP Michael Regan introduced a private members bill to ensure no compensation would be payable on behalf of the state if the contract for the Northern Beaches Hospital was voluntarily terminated. With trilateral talks ongoing between Healthscope, its receivers, and the Northern Beaches Hospital Taskforce, the state government remained hopeful of a productive outcome, but reserved the right to commit to a voluntary termination. At the time of the receivership, Healthscope CEO Tino La Spina said the hospital network would 'continue to operate as normal' and that the appointment of receivers 'ensures a stable path to a sale, with no impacts on any hospitals, staff or patients' 'There is no interruption to the outstanding care we provide,' she said. 'The receivers and management share the same goal of maintaining our market leading standards of patient care and protecting the business, the hospitals and our amazing people.'
Sky News AU
27-05-2025
- Health
- Sky News AU
Joe Massa's parents demand NSW Government acquires Northern Beaches Hospital after Healthscope enters receivership
The parents of a toddler who died hours after entering the emergency department of a Healthscope hospital has called on the NSW government to purchase it after the company was forced into receivership on Monday. Joe Massa, two, was taken to the public-private Northern Beaches Hospital in September after he began vomiting. His parents, Elouise and Danny, said they waited in the emergency room for two hours as the toddler was deemed a lower priority patient. He was then taken to Sydney Children's Hospital and suffered cardiac arrest and died due to brain damage. The toddler's death sparked an inquiry that led the NSW government to implement 'Joe's Law', which will ban public-private hospital partnerships. Joe's parents spoke out after Healthscope entered receivership on Monday and tore into the hospital operator's former owner, the Canadian asset management firm Brookfield. 'We are pleased that Brookfield is now finally out of the way,' Ms Massa said on Nine's Today. 'Brookfield has a lot of answers to provide us, including its company directors.' Healthscope had accrued $1.6 billion of debt and had defaulted on lease payments. Brookfield handed control of the health company to the lenders earlier this month, who appointed McGrathNicol Restructuring to find a buyer. Mr Massa said the state government should purchase Northern Beaches Hospital and echoed his wife's criticism of private-public ownership of hospitals. 'Private equity shouldn't be involved in running critical health infrastructure in Australia," he said. 'Their modus operandi is to fatten up the bottom line and to sell the business for a profit. 'At the essence, there's a conflict between the values of public hospitals and private equity and that's where disastrous outcomes occur. 'The Northern Beaches Hospital needs to change and that will only occur when the Northern Beaches hospital returns to public hands as soon as possible.' He called for an overhaul of the culture at the hospital and within the Northern Beaches community and stressed this would 'only occur when the hospital returns to public hands'. NSW Health Minister Ryan Park on Tuesday morning said the state government is continuing its discussions and negotiations with the hospital to take over the facility. "What we will continue to do is work with the current operators and those involved behind the scene. We will be continuing our discussions... with them about what we hope to do and that is bring the hospital back in public hands," Mr Park said on ABC Radio National. "We're working through that. That's been an intense process that's been going on for a couple of weeks now." Local state member Jacqui Scruby said Healthscope's receivership was an opportunity for the NSW government to purchase the hospital. 'It is now crunch time. With hedge fund backers pushing for Healthscope's' assets to be sold, the NSW Government must seize this opportunity to buy not just the public beds, but the entire Northern Beaches Hospital,' Ms Scruby said in a statement. 'Northern Beaches residents deserve a hospital with enough beds and services to meet the needs of our growing community, now and into the future.' Federal Health Minister Mark Butler stressed that while the staff and patients were assured the hospitals will continue to operate, 'this will still be difficult for the hospital's employees and their patients'. 'As Healthscope have today stated, if you have a planned procedure in one of their hospitals, it will go ahead,' Mr Butler told reporters on Monday. He also noted the government had met with KordaMentha, Healthscope's administrator, and the receiver and expects the hospitals to 'remain a critical part of our healthcare system'. 'The government does not want any of these important assets to be put in jeopardy to satisfy international investors,' Mr Butler said. However, Labor will not bail out the embattled healthcare group. 'We remain steadfast in our view that an orderly sales process that maintains the integrity of the entire hospital group will provide the best outcome for patients, staff, landlords and lenders,' Mr Butler said. Healthscope's CEO Tino La Spina told reporters he is confident there will be a buyer to take over the business. 'I think we're confident that there is interest in taking the Healthscope business as a whole. We have 10 non-binding indicative offers,' Mr La Spina said. 'Some are for the whole (business) and others potentially could include the whole (business) under certain circumstances. That is the focus.' It has received a $100 million lifeline from Commonwealth Bank of Australia, which comes in addition to its current cash balance of $110 million and 'substantial additional asset backing across the group', according to Healthscope. Westpac has also agreed to provide the receivers with capital to facilitate the sale.
Perth Now
30-04-2025
- Health
- Perth Now
Brave parents fight after toddler dies
Following the tragic death of two-year-old Joe Massa, his mother has spoken out, saying the system 'failed our son', prompting calls for reform from both parents and government officials. At a press conference on Wednesday, NSW Health Minister Ryan Park vowed to overhaul the REACH (Recognise, Engage, Act, Call, Help is on its way) patient escalation system across the state's hospitals, describing the death of Joe as a tragic failure and a catalyst for urgent action. Joe was taken to Northern Beaches Hospital in September last year after vomiting through the night. His parents, Elouise and Danny Massa, said he waited more than two hours for a bed and was wrongly classified as a lower priority, despite showing signs of severe dehydration and an elevated heart rate. The couple said hospital staff refused their repeated requests to administer intravenous fluids. About three hours after arriving at the emergency department, Joe went into cardiac arrest and was transferred to Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick. He later died from brain damage. Police have since launched an investigation into his death. Two-year-old Joe Massa' parents Elouise and Danny claim a systemic failure by Northern Beaches Hospital led to Joe's preventable death. Supplied Credit: Supplied Joe's parents joined the media conference to discuss NSW Health's Roundtable on the REACH protocol. 'Today, in 2025 I'm standing here because the program failed our son, Joe,' Mrs Massa said. 'We need to make sure that it works, we need to make sure that it is simplified and that it is amplified, and that we do not stop talking about the program to save lives, not one more child, not one more person can be lost. 'We need to ensure that the program is bolstered, and that is exactly what we are doing here today, and I have no doubt, with the support of the Health Minister, the premier and of course, Susan Pearce, that we will get there.' Danny and Elouise Massa, parents of two-year-old Joe, who died at the Northern Beaches Hospital. NewsWire / Nikki Short Credit: News Corp Australia The REACH program was established in 2013, shortly before the death of six-month-old Kyran Day, who was misdiagnosed at Shoalhaven Hospital on the NSW South Coast, where the program was not implemented correctly. Kyrans family also attended the conference, including his grandmother, Jane Carritt, who called for greater awareness and access to the escalation system. 'There were so many moments where Kyran could have been saved and there were so many moments where Joe should have been saved,' Ms Carritt said. 'You are entitled to ask for a second opinion, but also, when you're in that situation, you're usually very stressed, it's very hard to think clearly. 'So you need the support of the technology and the information and the clinicians to support the patients and the children and adults who cannot speak for themselves,' she said. Kyrans father also spoke at the event, becoming emotional as he addressed the media. 'Sometimes the worst things in our life cannot often turn into something that creates a monumental change, and that's why we're here today,' Mr Day said. 'Both Kyran and Joe were only here for a short time, but their legacy is going to live forever, and I think that's something that's really important.' REACH advocates are Naomi and Grant Day, whose son, Kyran (pictured), passed away in a Sydney hospital in 2013. Credit: News Regional Media Mr Park acknowledged that while REACH has the right foundations, its implementation across NSW hospitals has become inconsistent and confusing. 'In big government departments, we can sometimes lose sight of what we're actually trying to do,' Mr Park said. 'What we're trying to do here is to make it as simple as possible for a mum, a dad, a carer, a brother or sister, an advocate, to raise their hand and say, 'I've got some concerns.'' 'We are confident that it is being used well in many places, we are not confident that it is being used as well as it could across the system,' he said. NSW Health Minister Ryan Park has vowed to overhaul the REACH patient escalation system across the state's hospitals, describing the death of two-year-old Joe Massa as a tragic failure and a catalyst for urgent reform. NewsWire / Nikki Short Credit: News Corp Australia Mr Park emphasised the need for a streamlined, easily accessible system with one clear and centralised contact method. 'What I want … is for this to be synchronised and centralised,' he said. He confirmed the REACH program would not be scrapped but strengthened, with simplification, visibility and accessibility as key priorities. 'It's not a criticism of those who came before us,' he said. 'It's just a timely reminder I think for all of us to sit back and say, how can we do it better?'
