Doctors, nurses’ fiery claims rock Sydney’s Concord Hospital

More than 120 medical staff have attended a showdown meeting where extraordinary claims were made about conditions at a top Sydney hospital.

Bombshell claims have been heard at a showdown meeting over Concord Hospital, in Sydney. Picture: Supplied

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Doctors and nurses at a top Sydney hospital claim they were warned off going public with allegations of data falsifying, waiting lists manipulation and patients put at risk by a backlog of tens of thousands of undiagnosed scans.

In extraordinary scenes at a meeting set up to mediate issues at Concord Hospital, doctors and nurses alleged they were threatened with breaches of code of conduct by superiors if they spoke out.

One doctor told the meeting he feared patients were being put at such risk, by a backlog of 40,000 radiological scans, by the time they are diagnosed they may no longer be treatable.

Another said Concord Hospital is on the brink of collapse and had been left in some cases with equipment which had been so old the manufacturer told them to stop using it because it could be inaccurate, and it could have opened up the hospital to medico/legal action.

But when he raised the issue the doctor claims he was told to “shut up” and was threatened with facing a breach of code of conduct if he talked about it.

More than 120 doctors, nurses and medical staff signed into a showdown Zoom meeting with the board of Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) chaired by former NSW Liberal politician John Ajaka over conditions at the Inner West hospital.

The meeting was set up after the Health Minister Ryan Park announced an independent process in an attempt to resolve a litany of problems at Concord Hospital after a vote of no confidence in the chief executive Teresa Anderson.

In June, a vote of no confidence was made against Sydney Local Health District chief executive Dr Teresa Anderson. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

Sources have already revealed that a number of medical staff have been warned off speaking at Wednesday’s meeting.

That is despite staff previously speaking out about the culture of bullying and fear and a spokesman for Mr Park promising “participants can rest assured that they will be safe and listened to, and outcomes acted upon.”

After a motion put forward by Professor Winston Cheung, the chair of Concord Hospital’s Medical Staff Council, more than 60 per cent of medical staff from Concord Hospital in June supported a vote of no confidence in Dr Anderson.

Dr Anderson has been at the helm of the SLHD since 2011 and currently oversees 12,000 staff across five hospitals — Royal Prince Alfred, Concord, Canterbury, Balmain, and Sydney Dental Hospital.

Dr Anderson is not accused of having personally engaged in any bullying or harassment.

Professor Winston Cheung put forward the motion of no confidence in Dr Andrews. Picture: Supplied

One doctor told the meeting he still felt vulnerable and fearful speaking but he wanted to share how he had been bullied out of a job he loved.

A nurse told the meeting how she had been bullied, isolated and muzzled while allegations about her work performance led her to be subjected to innuendo, speculation and gossip.

After she was exonerated, and told she could return to work she claimed there was no apology, just more warnings she would be “watched” and she lived in fear there would be more “false” allegations again.

An independent process has been established by NSW Health to support employees at Concord Hospital by identifying actions to address issues raised and improve their overall workplace experience.

“As part of that process, a meeting facilitated by an external team was held today between members of the Concord Hospital Medical Staff Council and the Board Members of Sydney Local Health District,” a spokesman from SLHD said.

“Sydney Local Health District and its Board remain fully committed to the process.”

The meeting today also follows allegations senior medical staff at Concord Hospital said they were targeted in an extraordinary operation over allegations they were suspected of acting corruptly and were going to be referred to ICAC for investigation.

It has been claimed staff were being spied on to check they were working the hours they said they were.

The staff were also sent letters warning they may have breached polices – which meant under the act they could be referred to ICAC.

In the wake of the vote of no confidence doctors at Royal Prince Alfred – also under the control of Ms Anderson – have claimed the problems are mirrored at their hospital.

The meeting was told that Professor Ian Wilcox, a cardiologist who works at RPA, was refused permission to speak about how the problems are not just at Concord – and extend to RPA – was refused because he was not on the Concord staff.

Originally published as Doctors, nurses’ fiery claims rock Sydney’s Concord Hospital