Almost 600 women may have received ineffective vaccines after a faulty thermostat at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital went undetected for more than a year.
The hospital is contacting all mothers admitted to its postnatal ward 8 East between August 2013 and January this year “as a precaution” after the fault was detected last week.
The problem meant routine vaccines, including Boostrix (a diptheria, tetanus and whooping cough combination), as well as those for measles, mumps, rubella and Hepatitis B, may have been exposed to temperatures outside the optimum storage range “and their effectiveness cannot be guaranteed,” the hospital said.
The hospital’s general manager Deborah Willcox said there was no risk associated with receiving the potentially less effective vaccines.
“However, these vaccines may not provide adequate protection against some illnesses,” Ms Willcox said.
Health Minister Jillian Skinner said the failures at the hospital were “disappointing” and she has asked the department to ensure the error was not occurring at other hospitals.
“A full investigation is underway to guarantee all public hospitals are compliant with medication storage protocols,” Ms Skinner said.
“I’m advised measures will be introduced at RPA to ensure this incident does not happen again.”
A free clinic has been set up at Croydon Health Centre to provide re-vaccinations. A hotline, 1800 300 243, has also been set up for anyone with concerns.
The investigation would seek to determine why the problem remained undetected for so long, Ms Willcox said.
“On behalf of RPA, I would like to sincerely apologise for any concern this incident may have caused, or may cause,” she said.
She was confident that no other vaccines had been affected, and the public could “continue to have every confidence in Royal Prince Alfred Hospital”.