THE sudden suspension of a senior obstetrician last year at Lismore Base Hospital “could never happen again” after complaint procedures were radically overhauled following the incident, according to the Local Health District chairman Dr Brian Pezzutti.
But the changes have been described as “inadequate” by Lismore Base Hospital medical staff council chair Dr Chris Ingall because they failed to follow NSW Health directives.
Dr Glenn Taylor was suspended from duties the night before the Australia Day long weekend after a complaint unrelated to patient care.
Dr Taylor was ultimately exonerated, but the handling of the matter inspired a petition from 84 senior clinicians at Lismore Base Hospital calling for the sacking of Local Health District chief executive Chris Crawford.
Dr Ingall said Dr Taylor was an “exceptional” clinician and blamed poor communication procedures for his sudden suspension.
“There was not one conversation between Mr Crawford and Dr Taylor prior to this standing down,” he said.
“It is very poor practice and in fact outside the guidelines of NSW Health to stand someone down before having understood that person’s point of view.
“Such an excellent clinician as Dr Taylor – surely the benefit of the doubt would have rested with him.”
Dr Pezzutti said the board had dealt with the issue by fashioning a more “robust” and “accountable” complaints process.
He said the board had immediate concerns about the process because Dr Taylor was not given the chance to answer the allegations prior to his suspension, nor was he told about the substance of the complaint.
The new procedure allowed medical staff to hear about a complaint before it went to an investigation.
“I wrote to some 100 visiting medical officers and some 30 staff specialists with the new arrangements and [they] have been welcomed by the medical staff council,” Dr Pezzutti said.
But Dr Ingall maintained the suspension could have been easily avoided by better communication.
“What we got was reassurance that the person being stood down would know why, but no reassurance that the Board understood that the real problem lay in the lead-up.
“We ,as a doctor’s group, felt that we were still at high risk of it happening again.”
He said only complaints which involved a patient death could justify an immediate suspension of the clinician.
The matter is now the subject of court action by Dr Taylor, who opted not to resume his position after being fully exonerated, against the Local Health District.
Source: http://m.ballinaadvocate.com.au/news/angry-doctors-fight-hierarchy/2461173/