The Mackay Hospital and Health Service (HHS) Board has been issued with a ‘Show Cause’ notice by Queensland Health following the release of a report into its obstetrics and gynaecology unit.
The show cause notice asks HHS Board members to say how they can effectively discharge their duties and obligations and whether any or all of them should be dismissed.
The Board members have until Friday (7 October) to respond to the notice.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, Yvette D’Ath has also appointed Robert Herkes as a Special Clinical Advisor to the HHS Board to oversee clinical governance improvements.
“The report is damning in its identification of failings at multiple levels within Mackay HHS and more particularly the Mackay Base Hospital,” Ms D’Ath said.
“The investigation team found multiple examples of sub-standard clinical care, poor clinical incident monitoring, poor management of safety and quality, complications and clinical deterioration, and poor human resource management.”
She acknowledged the more than 170 women who came forward, with many sharing with her what she called deeply personal and sometimes deeply traumatic experiences.
“To each and every one of these women, whether they were part of the investigation or the consumer case management pathway, I want to say thank you for your bravery and courage,” Ms D’Ath said.
“You have shone a light on failings that have been hidden for far too long.”
The investigation report contains 122 recommendations, with 47 already implemented and with the remainder supported either in full or in principle. They are all to be implemented within 12 months.
Ms D’Ath said she would be expecting monthly updates on the progress of the recommendations.
“The Government will implement three key actions aimed at strengthening safety and quality processes,” she said.
These were the establishment of a centralised reporting process by which hospital staff across the State could escalate quality and safety concerns and enabling Clinical Excellence Queensland to provide additional governance support to Hospital and Health Services.
Finally, there would be a strengthening of informed consent processes to improve the expectations of patients undergoing procedures.
The summary of findings from the hospital’s obstetrics and gynaecology unit can be accessed at this PS News link.
