Senior Women’s and Children’s Hospital doctors ordered to review stabbed boy case

Senior WCH doctors will review why a traumatised young boy was forced to wait hours for treatment after being stabbed in a terrifying robbery.

Huckleberry Myers, 9, and “Sharky” recovering in the Women's and Children's Hospital after he was stabbed during a violent car robbery outside his family's Unley home. Picture: supplied by family

Senior Women’s and Children’s doctors will review why a young stabbed boy was forced to wait several hours to see a doctor for treatment as the Premier vowed to meet family and the hospital apologised.

Detectives are investigating how nine-year-old Huckleberry Myers, and his mother Holly, 47, were attacked in an “altercation” with three men outside their Unley, in Adelaide’s inner south, just before 4.30am on Sunday.

The Advertiser revealed how the family criticised SA Health and the state government over the delay in doctors checking the year 3 student at the hospital.

While officials say it was more than three and a half hours before a doctor assessed the boy, the family say the wait was almost double that.

As authorities went into damage control and hospital chiefs apologised, Premier Peter Malinauskas spoke with Huck’s property developer stepfather Tim Watson, 50, for 20 minutes on Sunday night..

A family holiday to Vietnam has now been delayed.

The boy – known as Huck – and his mother, an actor, were discharged on Monday after emergency surgery on his injured right hand and her stabbed left arm.

Holly Myers with her son Huckleberry. The mum and son are recovering in hospital after being stabbed. Pictures: supplied by family

It is understood the Premier was compassionate and listened to his concerns before vowing to arrange a meeting with Mr Watson in the next couple of days.

The Premier said it was an excellent conversation about the “extraordinary events” but said there was a different timelines.

“I think any parent facing a really difficult circumstance with their child would understandably be passionate in their response,” he said.

“That is utterly human. When I had the opportunity to speak to Mr Watson on the phone last night it was a really good phone conversation and he was grateful for it as was I.

“There’s now an independent effort underway with SA Health to ascertain exactly what’s happened there.”

Mr Watson said: “To get something good out of this is exactly what you want to happen. “Hopefully there will be more thought and resources to fix it now the Premier’s been made aware of it.”

Health Minister Chris Picton announced the hospital’s chief medical officer Dr Gavin Wheaton and emergency department chief Dr Malcolm Higgins will review the case and meet with the family.

He said assessment will check if appropriate critical criteria was given and whether circumstances such as being a victim of crime was considered.

He said the review will “make sure we can learn from this incident”.

“I should I should say from the outset that I think all South Australians are shocked to see what happened to that family over the weekend in that violent assault,” Mr Picton said.

“Secondly in relation to the treatment at the hospital I’ve obviously got briefings from the hospital.

“They’ve outlined that the triage nurse who has a very difficult job in terms of making assessments in terms of the criteria for whom should be seen the fastest made a determination in that case that the injury to the hand from the cut was a priority 3 injury.

“At the same time there were priority 1 children in the emergency department – 2 in resuscitation rooms at the time, which meant clearly that those children were receiving significant medical attention at that time.

“But clearly I think we have to listen to the concerns of the family.”

He said Labor was hiring at least 60 extra doctors and spending millions of dollars on the hospital.

A hospital spokeswoman said officials tried to address any clinical concerns.

“We welcome any feedback from the family involved and apologise that we did not meet their expectations,” she said.

“Our staff are trained in following clinical processes and medically assessing patients to ensure they receive the care and treatment they need.”

Huckleberry Myers, 9, recovering in the Women's and Children's Hospital after he was stabbed during a violent car robbery outside his family's Unley home. Picture: supplied by family

Opposition health spokeswoman Ashton Hurn said it was a “really distressing” cases.

She said during the election campaign Labor promised to urgently fix the health system.

“Where is this action now? Why is the health system going backwards under Peter Malinauskas and Labor,” she asked.

Eastern Adelaide CIB detectives are investigating the robbery and if it is linked to another two home invasions at Unley and Wayville.

The first suspect is described as being of caucasian appearance, 175cm tall, with long brown hair and was wearing a hooded black jacket.

The second is of African appearance, with a slim build, 165cm tall, short dark hair, slight stubble and was wearing a black jacket and trousers.

A third suspect was also of African appearance, with a slim build, 165cm tall and was wearing dark clothing.

Police said the offenders fled west towards King William Rd. A knife was found nearby.

They are still on the run.

Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.