Mackay Hospital board sacking: Angry grandma says Minister must go

A Queensland grandmother who couldn’t hold her newborn grandsons after an alleged botched surgery left her crippled says the Health Minister must be held “responsible”. And she’s not alone.

A grandmother who couldn’t hold her newborn grandsons after an alleged botched surgery left her crippled says Queensland’s health ministers must be held “responsible and accountable”.

It comes after Health Minister Yvette D’Ath sacked the entire board of the Mackay Hospital and Health Service.

Denise Roberts says she was unable to walk two steps without fainting in pain following her operation under the beleaguered Dr George Du Toit to rectify an incontinence issue.

Mrs Roberts said Dr Du Toit cut her bladder during the surgery at Mackay Base Hospital but instead told her that her bladder had split because of repeated urinary tract infections.

Mrs Roberts said was released four days later but needed to report to the emergency department with agonising pain.

‘I SAT IN EMERGENCY FOR SIX HOURS’

“I sat in the ED for six hours waiting for a gynaecologist to come and look at me,” she said.

The grandmother of seven, who now cannot lift more than 15kg or engage in strenuous physical activity, said she had to quit her childcare job and take up work with longer hours and at $500 less per week “to try and keep a roof over (her) head”.

Denise Roberts after the forum hosted by Health Minister Yvette D'Ath at the CQUniversity campus in Ooralea on October 18, 2022. Picture: Duncan Evans

“The (government) is organising some sort of compensation for me but that’s taking forever... but whose interests have they got at heart,” she said.

Mrs Roberts said Ms D’Ath and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk should stick their apologies to Mackay families where “the sun doesn’t shine”.

“The person at the top has to be held responsible and accountable,” she said.

Her calls echo those of two other Mackay women who were also botched in operations gone horribly wrong.

Sports Health and Massage owner Melissa Ferrier says her botched surgery left her in crippling pain. Picture: Heidi Petith

Physiotherapist Melissa Ferrier wants Ms D’Ath to face the chopping block like the board, saying mothers are being “traumatised” while their suggestions for fixing issues at the troubled Mackay hospital go unheard.

FORUM ‘TRAUMATISED MORE WOMEN’

Mrs Ferrier said when mothers were invited to a forum recently held in Mackay – attended by Ms D’Ath as well as Mackay MP and Assistant Health Minister Julieanne Gilbert – they had zero opportunities to voice their demands.

“We were at that forum for their gain, not ours,” Mrs Ferrier said.

“It traumatised more women.”

A spokesperson from the Health Minister’s office refuted this, and said Ms D’Ath spent more than three hours at the forum listening to the women’s stories and talking with them.

“The Minister spoke to many women on the day,” the spokesperson said.

“All affected women are being given every opportunity to be heard with their suggestions informing future obstetrics and gynaecology care, through their engagement with the HHS.

“Mackay Hospital and Health Service interim chief executive Paula Foley and other members of the HHS leadership team also continue to meet and consult with women about obstetrics and gynaecological services.”

Melissa Ferrier speaking up on behalf of ‘traumatised’ Mackay women at the Mackay Base Hospital.

Mrs Ferrier said her work, exercise, health and mental health had all suffered since her hysterectomy more than 12 months ago during which Dr Du Toit cut her bladder after doing a full abdominal incision instead of the anticipated keyhole surgery.

“It was a lot of pain for probably six to eight months after the surgery,” Mrs Ferrier said.

“The day of my surgery, I had my nursing staff handing me complaint forms to put in a complaint straight away (against Du Toit).”

Dr Du Toit resigned from Mackay Base Hospital in March after being suspended last year and in July, he was banned by the Queensland Health Ombudsman from practising surgery or being involved in providing care to women during labour and immediately after they have given birth.

He is one of five clinicians who have resigned or been let go by Queensland Health due to the investigation but the only doctor to have been named so far.

Mrs Ferrier said while the board’s sacking was “definitely a step in the right direction”, Mrs Gilbert must also face consequences.

“If we hadn’t made so much noise, nothing would have happened,” she said, adding Mackay mums would keep rallying.

‘WE’RE NOT GOING TO GO AWAY’

“It’s draining, it’s exhausting but at the same time, I wouldn’t have it any other way … We’re not going to be quiet and we’re not going to go away.”

A Mackay woman who says she suffered through 13 months of pain following an operation at the hospital welcomed the board’s sacking but asked why it had not come sooner.

“I am relieved and excited actually,” she said.

“In my case, I think it was, it should have come sooner.

“But better late than never.

“I just think there was so much that had not been dealt with by the board,” she said.

Mackay Base Hospital. Picture: Heidi Petith

The 52 year old, who wishes to remain anonymous, was a patient of Dr Du Toit and came forward after an independent report into the hospital revealed pervasive failures across its obstetrics and gynaecology department.

The woman claimed that since being operated on by Dr Du Toit in August 2021 and returning to the hospital complaining about “tearing pain” and difficulty urinating, she never received a clear resolution or advice that her surgeon was under investigation.

‘THERE WAS SECRECY’

She said this was the reason the board had to go.

“There was not enough action to find everybody (who had been affected),” she said.

“There was secrecy.

“If I did not actively seek out what was going on, who was going to contact me?

“It felt like, ‘if you don’t ask, don’t say anything’.”

The woman said she was now receiving more care and attention from the hospital, including a referral to Brisbane to meet with specialists paid for by the service.

She singled out MHHS interim chief executive Paula Foley for praise.

“Paula has been absolutely amazing,” she said.

“She is meeting each and every one of us.

“There are steps forward in the process.

“They have made a process of each individual person being addressed.”

Originally published as Mackay Hospital board sacking: Angry grandma says Minister must go