The number of potentially avoidable baby deaths and stillbirths at the Bacchus Marsh hospital has been officially revised to 11 following a second government review.
An initial investigation last year found seven baby deaths at the Bacchus Marsh and Melton Regional Hospital from 2013-14 could have been avoidable.
‘This is 11 lives lost that could potentially have been avoidable’, said Health Minister Jill Hennessy on Wednesday morning. Photo: Courtesy Channel 7
A further probe into infant deaths as far back as 2001, which concluded at the hospital about two months ago, identified a further four deaths, the government revealed on Wednesday.
Recent speculation anticipated an official tally of 12, but one of the cases investigated was not included due to a lack of evidence on the level of care the mother received before arriving at the hospital.
New review of baby deaths at the Bacchus Marsh and Melton Regional Hospita has identified a further four cases. Photo: Supplied.
The investigation found between 2001 and 2012 there were 26 neonatal deaths and stillbirths at Djerriwarrh Health Services and of those four were found to have been potentially avoidable.
The review also excluded one case from the second half of last year that was found to have been an unavoidable loss.
Lawyer Dimitra Dubrow from Maurice Blackburn, which is representing 25 families alleging loss over the scandal – including the parents of the four babies lost before 2012 – said their pain was “indescribable”.
“Some of these families received explanations at the time that their baby’s death was unavoidable, they’ve gone through lasting grief only to now be told that in fact their baby’s death was avoidable and their babies really should be with them now,” Ms Dubrow said.
Ms Dubrow commended the government response after the spike in baby deaths was detected but said the reviews needed to go further and look at injuries as well as the deaths.
“It’s only by looking at the injuries that we can really learn about the events and about the systemic failures that occurred in this case so that improvements can be made across the state,” she said.
Claims for compensation would be determined by the degree of harm done to each particular family but are expected to fall within the range of $50,000 to $250,000, Ms Dubrow said.
Anne Shortall, a principal lawyer at Slater and Gordon, said it too was investigating claims from families whose children had suffered “brain injuries as a result of traumatic births at the hospital”.
“Unfortunately, today’s announcement by the health minister confirms that this is one of Victoria’s worst health scandals,” Ms Shortall said.
“We must also not forget the dozens of families whose children have suffered brain injuries as a result of traumatic births at the hospital.”
Health Minister Jill Hennessey said steps had been taken to ensure that what happened at the Djerriwarrh Health Service-run hospital, could never happen again.
The latest figures bring the tally of infant deaths that may have been avoidable to 11, out of 38 deaths at Bacchus Marsh.
“That is 11 lives lost that could potentially have been avoidable,” Ms Hennessey said.
“I extend my deepest and most sincere condolences to all of the women and the families involved.
“Whilst I know that nothing I could say or do will ever heal the pain of losing a child, I do want to assure all of those families that we are doing everything we can to ensure that what happened at Djerriwarrh never happens at any other health service.”
During the investigation, Health Services Commissioner Dr Grant Davies received another 43 complaints about maternity care provided at the hospital relating to incidents from 1990 to last year, Fairfax Media reported in April.
Ms Hennessy said every case was being assessed by the commissioner, who’s office had been provided with extra resources to manage the scandal. Complaints that fall outside the timelines of either review are still being assessed.
Ms Hennessy said all recommendations made following the first probe had been implemented.
A further review into quality and safety in the health department and the state’s health system is ongoing.