Key facts
- Inquiry recommendation
- Terminate the Mater PPP and transfer ownership to NSW Health
- Inquiry chair
- Amanda Cohn, NSW Greens spokesperson for health
- Whistleblower
- Luke Carroll, former Honeywell senior project manager
- Mould-related infections
- At least 16 invasive fungal infections from 2019 to 2024
- Class action registrations
- About 120 families
- Cladding remediation cost
- $12.5 million
Background
The Mater mould and maintenance inquiry, which held three hearings, has uncovered allegations of corruption, cover-ups, falsified records, destroyed documents, intimidation, and maintenance failures at the Calvary Mater hospital in Newcastle, Australia.
The inquiry examined the public-private partnership (PPP) between Novacare and NSW Health's Health Administration Corporation (HAC), which closely involves Hunter New England Health. Under the PPP, Novacare subcontracts hospital maintenance to American corporate giant Honeywell.
Whistleblower Luke Carroll, a former senior project manager for assets and infrastructure with Honeywell at the Mater, gave evidence at the first hearing in Newcastle in March. He described a 'core problem of willful neglect' and said mould testing was 'essentially being falsified to produce artificially low results'.
Current situation
The inquiry report, to be tabled in NSW Parliament today, is set to recommend that the ownership and management of the Mater be transferred to NSW Health as soon as possible. It is also set to recommend that NSW Health consult staff and unions on the potential voluntary administration of Novacare.
Inquiry chair Amanda Cohn, NSW Greens spokesperson for health, said 'the inquiry has laid bare that the infrastructure issues at the Mater started as soon as it was built'. She noted that staff had been raising the alarm for nearly a decade and that the failure to act was a direct result of the PPP model, which left no one taking responsibility for maintenance.
Novacare and Honeywell have denied the allegations and blamed the hospital's infrastructure problems on the NSW government. In June, the Minns government announced a $400 million 'maintenance blitz' on state hospitals, with some funds confirmed for fixing the Mater's heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Invasive fungal infections (2019-2024) | 16 |
| Families registered for class action | 120 |
| Cladding remediation cost | $12.5 million |
| Maintenance blitz funding | $400 million |
Impacts
Patients at the Mater, the Hunter's main cancer hospital, are at high risk from deadly fungal infections from Aspergillus fumigatus mould detected at the hospital. The Newcastle Herald has revealed that at least 16 invasive fungal infections occurred at the Mater from 2019 to 2024.
About 120 families have registered for a class action into alleged mould-related deaths at the Mater, most of whom lost loved ones to pneumonia. In January and February, cancer wards and the ICU were closed due to a mould infestation, along with maggots falling onto patients.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park announced cladding remediation work on the hospital building to stop water leaking into the hospital at a cost of $12.5 million. Whistleblower Luke Carroll said it was 'very dark days when I first realised how serious the maintenance issue was in the cancer ward', and that he was interrogated, confined to his home, and ultimately lost his career.
Future outlook
Scenario analysis: The possibilities below are not certain predictions.
If the inquiry's recommendations are adopted, the Mater's ownership and management would transfer to NSW Health, potentially ending the PPP. This could lead to more direct public oversight of hospital maintenance and infrastructure.
If voluntary administration of Novacare proceeds, it may affect the company's operations and its subcontract with Honeywell, though the exact consequences remain unclear. The NSW government's maintenance blitz may address some infrastructure issues, but the full scope of repairs needed is not yet known.
The class action involving about 120 families could proceed, potentially providing compensation to those affected. However, the timeline and outcome of legal proceedings are uncertain, and it remains to be seen whether the inquiry's findings will lead to further investigations or reforms.
Source: dungogchronicle.com.au
