Doctors working at one of Australia’s privately run public hospitals have spoken of dozens of near misses and adverse events, suggesting its management has been motivated by profits rather than patient care.

The claims have been made during a NSW parliamentary inquiry into Northern Beaches Hospital, which has been plagued by chronic staff shortages and failed IT systems.

The result of a public–private partnership deal back in 2014, the 488-bed facility was built and operated by Healthscope for public patients through a $2.1 billion contract with the NSW Government.

But the experiences of some 70 doctors who have worked at the hospital over the past three years are documented in a submission by the Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation (ASMOF).