Nurses Rally at Calvary Mater Hospital Over Faecal, Mould and Maggot Crisis
Nurses are staging a rally in front of the Calvary Mater Hospital in Newcastle, calling for urgent government intervention to address a spiralling health and safety crisis that has engulfed the facility. The protest comes as the hospital faces severe allegations of contamination and systemic failures.
Wards Closed Due to Mould and Maggots
The hospital was forced to close two wards in January after dangerous mould was discovered in the air-conditioning ducts. Shockingly, maggots were reported to be falling from the air-conditioning vents directly onto patients. There are also serious concerns that the potable water supply may be contaminated with faecal matter.
Staff have accused the hospital of maintaining a systemic culture that dismisses safety concerns when raised by employees. These ongoing issues have brought the hospital's unique public-private partnership model under intense scrutiny.
Public-Private Partnership Under Fire
Although the Calvary Mater Hospital operates as a public hospital, with medical services provided by NSW Health, the facility is actually run by a private company called Novacare. This company is responsible for the building's infrastructure, maintenance, and cleaning operations.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park has stated that the state government is doing everything within its power to address the situation, while reiterating that Novacare bears responsibility for rectifying the infrastructure issues. However, staff at Calvary Mater report hearing these same assurances for nearly twelve months without seeing meaningful action, leading to their demand for direct government intervention.
Class Action and Historical Neglect
The Mater Hospital is now at the centre of a class action lawsuit. The Newcastle Herald previously revealed that the private company responsible for hospital maintenance was informed in October 2024 that air-conditioning ducts in the cancer ward needed replacement after being found riddled with dangerous Aspergillus mould.
Honeywell, one of the four companies comprising Novacare, failed to act on this report or inform staff and patients for six months, until the information was leaked in April last year. Law firms XD Law and local firm Bilbie Faraday Harrison are now calling for people who lost loved ones in the Calvary Mater Hospital's cancer wards between January 2024 and April 2025 to come forward.
Health Impacts and Contractual Disputes
The mould discovered in the hospital is known to cause pneumonia. A recently released Bureau of Health Information study found that Calvary Mater had "higher than expected mortality" for pneumonia cases, despite a statewide decrease in such fatalities.
Honeywell has responded to allegations by stating that its scope of work did not include "rectifying structural defects or mechanical design, including cladding issues and facade leaks, which have allowed water to enter Mater Hospital for many years." The company claims it is "going above and beyond its contractual obligations in an effort to prevent further leaks, mitigate against additional mould risk, and prioritise patient and staff welfare," according to a Honeywell spokesperson.
The rally represents a significant escalation in the ongoing crisis at Calvary Mater Hospital, with nurses and healthcare professionals demanding immediate action to protect both patients and staff from the dangerous conditions that have persisted for months.
