The NSW premier revealed the state government is open to buying back Sydney’s northern beaches hospital. It comes after inadequate care led to the death of two-year-old Joe Massa. The toddler's name is set to be enshrined in legislation, as the government moves to ban public private partnerships at emergency care with "Joe's law".
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00:00Little feet that have left a big mark.
00:05We are making sure that what happened to Joe doesn't happen to anybody else.
00:09When Joe Massa's parents first met with the Premier last month, they gave him one of his
00:13boots as a reminder of their fight for change.
00:16Today it paid off.
00:18To Elise and Danny, I know that I speak on behalf of all members of this house in expressing
00:25our sincere condolences.
00:27The Government put forth legislation banning the use of public-private partnerships to
00:31run urgent care hospitals like Northern Beaches Hospital.
00:34It will be affectionately known as Joe's Hall, after a brave little boy.
00:40Hours after being admitted there in September, the two-year-old was dead.
00:44A review found multiple failings in his treatment.
00:47It's substandard.
00:49Healthscope is contracted to run the hospital until 2038, but with the company in financial
00:54trouble and preparing to potentially sell the business, the Premier is open to a buy-back.
00:59I'm not going to rule anything out in relation to Northern Beaches.
01:02I'm not ruling anything out.
01:04Healthscope declined to say whether it's interested in exiting the deal, but noted government
01:08data showing the hospital was performing strongly compared to peer hospitals on a range of measures.
01:14The Government is working with a crossbench and is confident it has the numbers to pass
01:17the bill with or without the opposition's support.
01:21We haven't had the results of a coronial inquest yet and inquiries, but as I said on
01:25the bill itself, we'll await the detail.
01:27Today Joe's parents brought another pair of his shoes, in the hope no other parents will
01:32have to walk in theirs.