The redeveloped Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital at South Brisbane. Pic Annette Dew Source: News Corp Australia
A FAILURE to heed warnings about the planned opening date, a rushed schedule and a host of other problems caused serious issues at the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, according to a damning review.
Health Minister Cameron Dick today released the review into the bungled opening of the state’s $1.5 billion flagship children’s hospital.
The review panel took aim at the Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service Board’s insistence on keeping to the planned November 29, 2014 opening date, “despite repeated, revised forecast practical completion dates”.
According to the report, “sufficient evidence” existed mid-2014 that “should have raised sufficient corporate concern” about the opening date.
It found that “no serious adverse events causing log term harm occurred on the day of move or during the first two weeks of operation”.
But it also slammed the fact that opening day was the first time that various clinical teams had “actively functioned together”.
Equipment wasn’t ready for mock testing, with some arriving just days before the opening date with incorrect specifications.
Clinicians reported having to wait around in loading docks for crucial equipment to arrive — even as opening day loomed.
Even though surgical equipment deficiencies were noted in December 2014, the fresh procurement process wasn’t finalised until February this year.
The report notes that the “commitment and devotion” of the leadership teams and staff were to be “commended”, but noted a number of serious issues.
“However, the Review Panel found evidence of multiple examples where the building and operational commissioning processes exposed the project to risk and capacity challenges,” it reads.
“The Review Panel contends that sufficient evidence existed in the June/July 2014 period and still in late October 2014, which should have raised sufficient corporate concern over the November 29th 2014 being a realistic opening date.
“The Review Panel found across multiple sources and from numerous stakeholders, evidence to support the notion that building, systems and staff of LCCH were not fully operationally ready on the 29th November 2014.”
The report also said there was evidence of the commissioning team having “insufficient experience of the complex interdependencies that exist in operationally commissioning a multi-site tertiary hospital”.
The lacklustre IT program forced IT staff to work “excessive workloads” just to meet minimum requirements, while there were “significant delays” in recruiting, as well as the delivery and installation of equipment.
Even three days before opening, 100 emergency department “wi-fi handset-related telephone numbers had not been provided”.
The report says this had a “significant potential impact” on communications and “should not have been a risk so late in the commissioning process”.
Issues with the switchboard were also detailed, including staff unfamiliarity with the system and the names of clinicians.
In an October 10, 2014 meeting, PICU staff said they “did not yet feel safe” to move.
The helipad also suffered from an uneven surface and the landing site was closed in December.
The report states that proper testing of the helipad should have uncovered problems.
Inadequate hand gel and soap dispensers also “posed an infection control risk” — which was identified as late as the Wednesday before the hospital opened.