19 residents died during the COVID-19 outbreak at Anglicare Sydney's Newmarch House in April and May 2020, when 37 residents and 34 members of staff contracted the virus in the early days of the pandemic. It was the largest outbreak at that time in Australia.
In April 2023, Shine Lawyers launched a class action on behalf of 18 people whose loved ones died during the outbreak, including the families of six residents who died and two families whose loved ones died as a result of alleged negligent care at the residential aged care home in Kingswood, Penrith, 52km west of Sydney's CBD..
The lead plaintiff was Mark Fahey, whose mother was the 14th Newmarch House resident to die from COVID-19.
Defendants were operator Anglicare Sydney and the Nepean-Blue Mountains Local Health District. Newmarch House is located in Kingswood, 55km west of Sydney.
Shine Lawyers revealed a confidential settlement has been reached on Monday.
An Anglicare Sydney spokesperson told The SOURCE they were unable to comment on the mediation, which is confidential.
"Anglicare Sydney repeats its sincere apology, made to the families including during the Coronial Inquest, for the distress experienced by the families of residents who died tragically during the COVID-19 outbreak at Newmarch House in 2020," the spokesperson said.
A coronial inquiry into the Newmarch House deaths was conducted in 2022, and was due to hand down its findings in August 2023. No findings have been publicly released.
The settlement is subject to court approval and will return to the NSW Supreme Court on 15 November.
