Calvary health check fail

Hobart hospital on notice over noncompliance

A HOBART hospital has come under fire after failing to meet national health and safety standards.

An independent assessment on Calvary private hospital in Lenah Valley by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care has found it to be non-compliant on a number of criteria.

The hospital has been issued with a 90-day notice period to meet recommendations set out by the accreditation body.

The Mercury understands the noncompliance relates to “processes around patient care”, such as not providing appropriate documentation when critical handover has occurred between nursing staff.

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Association’s Emily Sheppard said: “There were a number of recommendations set down by the surveyors of Calvary … and staff are working with management to ensure nurses are equipped with the appropriate resources to meet the increased quality processes required.

“Calvary have assured us that they will put in place measures whereby they will meet patient care needs. And ANMF remains confident from a nursing perspective that patients are receiving the required care.”

A spokesman for Calvary said the hospital underwent the three-yearly assessment in July and has until the end of October this year to respond. It has begun measures to ensure it is on track to pass the followup assessment.

“[We] confirm that a Calvary Improvement Action Plan addressing the survey recommendations has been developed and approved by the organisation conducting the survey and the Department of Health of Tasmania.

“Calvary is complying with all the recommendations and will respond within the designated time frame.”

This is not the first time the hospital has been in the spotlight in recent months. In July, up to 390 colonoscopy patients were advised to have a repeat procedure after revelations a doctor may have missed a small part of the bowel during operations. In the same month, the hospital’s chief executive Kathryn Berry left unceremoniously. Acting chief executive Marcus DiMartino is expected to be in the role for the remainder of the year.

While it’s not unusual for healthcare facilities to have recommendations made through the assessment process, there can be serious consequences if requirements aren’t met before the notice period ends.