Healthscope offers to transfer Northern Beaches ED back to state government

Northern Beaches Hospital could be run exclusively by the NSW government after private provider Healthscope agreed to put it back in public hands.

Northern Beaches Hospital emergency department will be returned public hands. It follows the death of two-year old Joe Massa, who died after initially being treated at Northern Beaches Hospital in September last year. Pictures: News Corp/Supplied

Northern Beaches Hospital could be run by the NSW government after private provider Healthscope agreed to put it back in public hands.

Private provider Healthscope has made an offer to the NSW government to take back the hospital, which the Minns government will now consider.

This comes after the death of two-year old Joe Massa, who died after initially being treated at Northern Beaches Hospital in September last year.

At Northern Beaches Hospital, which is run in public partnership with private hospital provider Healthscope, Joe had to wait more than Two-and-a-half hours for a bed – despite a dangerously high heartbeat and as his mother’s pleas for intravenous fluids were rejected – prompting a parliamentary inquiry.

Premier Chris Minns in response has proposed to legislate a ban on all future private public partnerships for acute care hospitals.

Northern Beaches Hospital private provider, Healthscope, has offered to place the hospital back in public hands. : Brendan Read

In a statement released at midday Healthscope chief executive Tino La Spina confirmed the private health company was willing to commence discussions about returning the hospital to the public health system.

He said that the Minns government’s new reforms to ban public-private partnerships in acute care hospitals has “created uncertainty” about the future of the hospital and has “put strain” on its operations.

“We believe NBH will operate more effectively as part of the public hospital system and its future is assured,” Mr La Spina said.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Mr La Spina said he felt the hospital’s reputation had been “unfairly tarnished over recent months”, saying the hospitals performance metrics had been “either in line or better than the rest of the public health system”.

“Obviously there was a very tragic failing about what happened to Joe Massa in the ED,” he said.

“We’ve had a really difficult time with some quite vocal local stakeholders and not being able to integrate into the public hospital network.”

The Minns government has indicated it will “carefully consider” the proposal but would not pay Healthscope exorbitant sums of money for the hospital.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said the Healthscope should not expect to profit from this proposal.

“After the way Healthscope has managed this partnership, it should not expect to walk away from the Northern Beaches Hospital with a profit,” he said.

“The NSW Government will be watching to ensure that no-one is trying to make a windfall gain at the expense of the people of NSW.

Elouise and Danny Massa’s little boy, Joe died after initially being treated at Northern Beaches Hospital in September last year. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

“The Government will engage with Healthscope management after questions of its ownership and whether it remains a going concern are resolved.”

Health Minister Ryan Park said Northern Beaches Hospital would continue to operate while discussions with Healthscope take place without interruption and that there will be no impact on services.

Two-year-old Joe Massa’s parents Elouise and Danny welcomed Healthscope’s offer to place the hospital back in public hands.

“This is the best possible outcome for the local community and sends a strong message from healthcare providers that there is no place to mix profit with public healthcare in NSW and across Australia,” Ms Massa said.

“Private-public partnerships in healthcare should never have been allowed to happen.