Northern Beaches Hospital: Everything that’s happened since it opened

Northern Beaches Hospital has had a horror start since opening on October 30, with resignations, threats of strike action and complaints from patients. Journalist Julie Cross delves into why there has been so much controversy surrounding the facility. CLICK ON THE INTERACTIVE GRAPHIC.

• My night as a fake patient at Northern Beaches Hospital
• Second anaesthetist resigns

When I stayed in a hotel-quality room with an ensuite at the new $600 million Northern Beaches Hospital, my only complaint was the quality of the TV sound.

I had volunteered to be a ‘fake patient’ to test out the facilities, the beds, the food, the carpark and so on before the hospital opened on October 30.

From what I could see, everything seemed to be in order, from the new operating theatres filled with state-of-the-art equipment, to the locally designed coffee cups in the vending machines.

The hospital build was ahead of schedule and everything seemed to be going to plan.

My concern over the distortion on the TV seems a little trivial now that I have spoken to real patients — and staff on the ground — who, in the first few weeks, complained about matters such as a lack of medical supplies including body bags, painkillers and bandages and having no phones in their rooms to call relatives.

Eddie Rivers taken at his home in Dee Why. Picture: Julian Andrews.

Eddie Rivers, 78, of Dee Why, a patient in the first week, was so concerned about what was happening inside the hospital that he called me from his hospital bed.

His blood transfusion machine alarm had gone off and no-one came. After 10 minutes, he Googled the hospital’s main switchboard to ring and ask the receptionist for help.

From the start, doctors and nurses also called to voice concerns over the fact there were no proper processes in place. Of course, they always requested anonymity for fear of their jobs.

Left to right: Director of Nursing Moran Wasson, reporter Julie Cross as a volunteer fake patient and Executive Chef Lynsey Lappin at the Northern Beaches Hospital before it opened. Picture: Adam Yip.

One described what was going on inside the 488-bed facility in the first weeks as a “war zone”, with staff running around trying to find supplies and no-one knowing who was in charge.

By mid-November the situation escalated, with junior doctors considering industrial action and anaesthetists threatening to refuse elective surgery patients unless staff shortages, supply shortages and systematic problems were fixed.

After that the resignations started.

MD and CEO Healthcope Gordon Ballantyne, MP Brad Hazzard, former CEO of NBH Deborah Latta, Surgeon Stuart Pincott and former Medical Director of NBH Louise Messara out the front of the new Northern Beaches Hospital. Picture: Adam Yip.

CEO Deborah Latta resigned two days after the hospital officially opened and early this week it was revealed two anaesthetists had resigned.

Medical director Louise Messara also “stepped down” from her role this week.

Then, on Thursday, it was announced the head of anaesthetics, Alistair Boyce, had also “stepped down” but would continue to work in the hospital.

We also believe at least two others from other departments have resigned.

Of course, “teething issues” are to be expected and that was the line private operator Healthscope and Health Minister Brad Hazzard stuck with until this week, when he accepted there were problems and that he expected improvements, while also blaming senior doctors for stirring up trouble.

Kelly Ponsford and daughter Caitlin, 2, were among protesters at the official opening of the Northern Breaches Hospital at Frenchs Forest. Picture: Troy Snook.

I am told Mr Hazzard will not speak to me anymore because he says I write too many negative stories.

I have also heard there are staff who support Mr Hazzard and are disgusted with colleagues talking down the hospital and unfairly tarnishing its reputation.

Meanwhile, the silence from Healthscope, the company that NSW will be paying $2.14 billion to run the hospital until 2038, is deafening.

Two weeks ago, I requested an interview with chief medical officer Victoria Atkinson or the new acting CEO Steve Gameren.

But, as yet, no-one from Healthscope has been prepared to speak.

Is it that they were not expecting any scrutiny, despite being paid so handsomely out of the taxpayer coffers? That they did not have the experience of running a public service? In which case, one might wonder, why were they ever handed such a fat, long-term contract in the first place?

There’s no doubt doctors and nurses are still doing a remarkable job there.

Jason ‘Buddy’ Miller taken in the ICU at Northern Beaches Hospital in Frenchs Forest, is grateful to staff for saving his life. Picture: Julian Andrews.

Buddy Miller, a Manly dad who got sepsis and will lose his hands and his feet, is alive thanks to the teams in Emergency and then ICU who worked hard to save him.

His sister-in-law said he was the “sickest person doctors had ever seen” and the family could not be happier with the treatment he received.

I have been asking for similar good news stories that illustrate the amazing things that must be going on in this hi-tech hospital.

It does not help that, after five and a half weeks, Healthscope has just brought in its third new PR person, a crisis management specialist, which says everything. His job now is to provide evidence that the management do have the situation under control.

At the moment the management team is a bunch of faceless men and women.

Change is happening, according to people I have spoken to. Stocks are not perfect but have improved.

More people are being employed and the number of beds open stands at around 300.

There may be some truth in some people wanting to portray a negative image for their own gain.

But staff I have spoken to say all they want is for the Northern Beaches Hospital to be a success — and for nothing to go tragically wrong. That goes for all of us who live in this community.