Calvary Health Care bids for two Hunter hospitals

Calvary Health Care, a not-for-profit Catholic organization, is leading a consortium backed by Pacific Equity Partners to acquire 16 private hospitals as part of the Healthscope sale. The bid includes the Newcastle and Hunter Valley private hospitals located in New Lambton Heights and Shortland.

The acquisition attempt has renewed scrutiny regarding the future of the Mater Hospital. A recent parliamentary inquiry recommended terminating the Mater’s public-private partnership (PPP) between Novacare and NSW Health’s Health Administration Corporation (HAC).

Calvary CEO Damien Bruce stated that the organization was not a party to the PPP and noted that major infrastructure and maintenance decisions were outside Calvary’s direct control. While Bruce declined to comment on whether he supports the recommendation to terminate the PPP, he previously submitted that the governance structure of the partnership requires substantial reform to address long-standing maintenance issues.