Inquiry into Northern Beaches Hospital welcome and overdue
The Health Services Union (HSU) welcomes the announcement of the NSW Parliament's Public Accounts Committee inquiry into the safety and quality of health services at Northern Beaches Hospital, while emphasising that this investigation is long overdue.
****DOORSTOP****
##Gerard Hayes will hold a doorstop at 11am, at Martin Place, between George and Pitt Street##
HSU Secretary Gerard Hayes said the union has been raising serious concerns about the hospital's operations since its opening in 2018, highlighting fundamental flaws in the public-private partnership model.
"This inquiry must thoroughly examine how a profit-driven healthcare model is affecting patient care, staff morale, and the appropriate use of taxpayer-funded facilities," said Mr. Hayes.
"We have consistently seen evidence that Northern Beaches Hospital prioritises commercial interests over patient care. From renting out maternity wards to film crews while mothers struggle with understaffed services, to charging grieving families unnecessary fees to release their loved ones' bodies – these practices reveal a disturbing pattern."
The HSU has documented numerous concerning practices at the hospital, including:
- Closing essential public maternity wards while hiring them out to film and TV production companies
- Critical understaffing issues and low staff morale
- Charging a $99 fee for Cremation Risk Advice certificates – a practice abolished in public hospitals over two years ago
- Failure to properly implement patient safety protocols, including the REACH system identified in the Joe Massa case
"While other hospitals across NSW are struggling with bed block, Northern Beaches Hospital has entire wards sitting empty or being used as film sets. This is a slap in the face to the patients who funded this facility through their taxes," Mr. Hayes said.
"The HSU has grave concerns about a healthcare model that generates income by renting out its wards and equipment while patients wait for care. What next? Will they set up a restaurant in the ward so customers can watch health professionals and patients in a real-life setting?"
The union is calling for the inquiry to carefully examine the financial incentives built into the public-private partnership agreement with Healthscope and whether these incentives conflict with the delivery of quality public healthcare.
"Behind the shiny facade of this hospital, we're seeing a facility that's not being utilised to its full capacity for the purpose it was built – providing healthcare to the community.
"We hope this inquiry will finally address the systemic issues our members have been reporting for years and put patients before profits at Northern Beaches Hospital."
Media contact - Nick Lucchinelli - 0422229032