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Maggot Discovery Shuts Calvary Mater Newcastle Haematology Unit

Officials are probing a likely link to a long-running mould problem in the hospital’s air-conditioning system.

Overview

  • Hospital leaders emptied the 16-bed haematology unit and sealed a four-bed room after pests were found, relocating patients within the facility and to other hospitals.
  • All elective surgeries were cancelled on Tuesday and 15 general medicine patients were moved to private hospitals to free capacity for cancer care.
  • Specialist pest controllers have been engaged and fumigation and other remediation work are under way, with the unit closed until further notice.
  • Health Minister Ryan Park ordered a full report and criticised the public–private model running the site, saying services should return to public hands.
  • Law firms XD Law and Bilbie Faraday Harrison are exploring potential class actions over reported HVAC mould exposure dating to 2024.