Queensland Health Minister Cameron Dick has ordered an urgent investigation into reports a baby died while waiting for a bed at Brisbane’s Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital.
Mr Dick has ordered the health ombudsmen to investigate the death of a 12-week-old boy from the Wide Bay region who had been scheduled for life-saving lung surgery at Lady Cilento.
Mr Dick said he had been told the baby died while being forced to wait for the operation, due to a bed shortage.
The hospital, which opened only 11 months ago, has already been the subject of two independent reviews.
Both found major problems, but nothing that caused long-term harm to patients.
Rural health advocate Justine Christerson raised the baby’s death with Mr Dick at community cabinet in Bundaberg last weekend.
She said the child was one of three patients from the Wide Bay who died waiting for treatment at Lady Cilento.
“We were told there was no patient harm and that is the end of the subject, we haven’t had anyone held accountable for the decisions that were made,” she said.
“Those very same decision-makers are the same people that are involved in the day to day running of the hospital – they are still there.
“While there’s no-one being held accountable and while these decision-makers are still making decisions for the Lady Cilento nothing will change, and that’s the problem.”
Senior doctor had already flagged bed issues
Last month, child neurologist Dr Kate Sinclair told the ABC of her concerns about a lack of beds and medical equipment at the hospital.
At that time, the ABC obtained documents under right to information revealing more than 30 reports of potential patient harm in the first seven months since the hospital opened.
Dr Sinclair said she saw her colleagues “struggling day to day” because they felt they could not “do their professional best”.
“We have children who cannot get into the hospital,” Dr Sinclair said.
“They might be having seizures on the hour in another hospital and we can’t get beds for them.
“We have other children, who have severe respiratory difficulties … who have waited overnight, all night, for a bed.
“We’ve had other children who’ve been asked to leave the hospital when they’re not fully ready to go.”
Dr Sinclair, the wife of former Liberal National Party MP Chris Davis, said staff morale was low given team members were working in a hospital that had a shortage of office space.
Mr Dick has requested briefings on all three cases raised by Ms Christerson.
However, the director of Children’s Health Queensland, Dr John Wakefield, rejected claims the Lady Cilento Hospital had been unable to provide adequate care for its patients.
Dr Wakefield said it was the first time concerns had been raised over these deaths.
“In relation to these three cases, we’ve had no complaints or approach from any of the parents of the children raising concerns about care,” he said.
“The Minister has referred one case to the office of the health ombudsman – it is not appropriate for me to speculate on what he will or won’t do.”