Minister says contract ‘cannot be undone overnight’
Submissions for the second inquiry into Northern Beaches Hospital (NBH) have opened, with ‘safety and quality’ the key focus.
Health Minister Ryan Park announced the inquiry following the death of toddler Joe Massa, where the hospital failed to enact its REACH protocol (Recognise, Engage, Act, Call, Help).
The inquiry will examine incidents at the hospital, including those the subject of serious adverse event reviews; how the hospital responded; and the extent to which it implemented changes prompted by those incidents.
“We made a commitment to (Joe’s parents) to undertake the necessary reviews to understand how they and their son have been let down, as well as to learn what changes need to be made to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again,” Mr Park said.
The hospital is a public/private partnership (PPP) with Healthscope which was set up under the previous Liberal Government. Local politicians including Wakehurst MP Michael Regan have called for it to be put back into public hands. Healthscope has a 20-year contract, due to expire in 2038.
Commenting on the PPP in March at Parliamentary estimates, Minister Park said: “It is a very complex contract that Healthscope has with the government. To unpick that can’t be done overnight.”
Mr Regan said the inquiry was a ‘significant moment’ for the community. “Now, more than ever, we need more scrutiny of the hospital. More scrutiny of private operator Healthscope, more scrutiny of the contract with the government, more scrutiny of individual’s experiences, and more scrutiny of structural problems they expose.”
The inquiry will also examine ‘adequacy, skill mix and capability of staffing levels.’ A Healthscope spokesperson said that ‘staffing was constantly reviewed and adjusted according to the clinical need and demand on the facility.’
“NBH reports on comparable performance metrics (the same as) other public hospitals. These are reported to NSW Health.
“The hospital regularly performs in the top quartile on these key health measures compared to peer hospitals. It also undergoes national accreditation, in line with public hospitals,” the spokesperson added. Healthscope would ‘co-operate fully’ with the inquiry. Submissions are open until 20 May: parliament.nsw.gov.au
