Former Launceston General Hospital chief executive recalled to commission of inquiry after July collapse

Launceston General Hospital’s former chief executive has been recalled to the child sexual abuse commission of inquiry, after previously collapsing in the witness stand.

THE former chief executive of Launceston General Hospital – who collapsed while giving evidence at Tasmania’s child sexual abuse commission of inquiry – has been recalled to appear at next week’s final set of hearings.

Stephen Ayre suffered a medical emergency at the inquiry’s Launceston sittings on July 1.

It came after a tense examination about an alleged conversation with another hospital director over his prior knowledge of paedophile nurse James Geoffrey Griffin.

Other witnesses held over from that set of hearings will also be called, including Peter Renshaw, the LGH’s executive director of medical services, who has received a number of child sexual abuse notifications during his decades-long tenure at the institution.

Former Launceston General Hospital CEO Stephen Ayre, who held the position between 2004 and 2008, collapsed while giving evidence at the child sexual abuse commission of inquiry.

Department of Health secretary Kathryn Morgan-Wicks will also be recalled.

Also expected to appear as the public hearings wind up is Patrick Ryan, the former operations manager of Ashley Youth Detention Centre.

Mr Ryan did not front the inquiry on August 23 as expected as he was medically unfit.

The final set of hearings will be held September 7 to 13 in Hobart, with a focus on the Ashley Youth Detention Centre and the Department of Health.

The commission said its final five days of hearings would also call a number of other senior public servants to give evidence, and examine “opportunities for policy reform and the way forward”.

The commission will hand down its final report and recommendations by May 1, 2023.

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