WCH top brass called to explain ‘catastrophic repercussions’ from hospital’s loss of accreditation

As Women’s and Children’s executives are called to parliament to explain the loss of accreditation credentials, an eminent obstetrician warns of “catastrophic repercussions”.

A domino effect from the Women’s and Children’s Hospital losing full teaching accreditation for its childrens' intensive care units could see “catastrophic repercussions” which threaten the hospital’s status as an obstetrics teaching centre, a parliamentary committee will be told on Tuesday.

This could see the flagship hospital downgraded to second rate status resulting in high risk pregnant women being transferred interstate.

Parliament’s health services committee has summoned WCH officials including chief executive Lindsey Gough for a “please explain” hearing following revelations by The Advertiser the paediatric ICU has lost its teaching accreditation and the Neonatal ICU’s accreditation is on probation pending an assessment.

It also will take evidence from the WCH Alliance whose spokesman, eminent obstetrician Professor John Svigos, will warn of the “frightening” implications if both ICUs do not regain full accreditation.

WCH Alliance member Professor John Svigos. Picture: Tait Schmaal

“All SA paediatric trainees, as part of their mandatory training in paediatrics, must work in the WCH Neonatal Unit for a minimum of three months, for their entire basic paediatric training to be recognised by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians,” his submission says.

“Working in the smaller neonatal unit at Flinders Medical Centre is not equivalent as that unit is regarded as a subsidiary unit and thus is not accredited to be a principal recognised training site in neonatology by the RACP.

“Thus non accreditation of the WCH Neonatal Unit would have the potential to stop all paediatric training in SA along with potential repercussions for obstetric training in SA.”

He said this would see paediatric staff lost to interstate centres to complete or embark upon their paediatric training and perhaps never return to SA.

Prof Svigos’ submission warns this could see the state’s flagship babies’ hospital reduced to second rate status.

“Without a recognised Neonatal Unit, then high risk obstetrics cannot be practised effectively at the WCH, or possibly in the State,” it states.

“This would see the likely transfer of high-risk women and their babies interstate which in turn would threaten accreditation of the WCH as a major obstetric teaching unit by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, with similar catastrophic repercussions for obstetric trainees in SA.”

Women’s and Children’s Health Network CEO Lindsey Gough. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Committee chair SA Best MLC Connie Bonaros. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Ms Gough says she wants to “reassure the community our clinicians continue to provide safe, high quality care”, while the hospital board is calling for urgent action — and funding — to regain full accreditation.

Committee chair SA Best MLC Connie Bonaros called for an independent inquiry and says “heads must roll.”

“It appears the WCH executive team has been asleep at the wheel for some time – and as a result the future of the hospital as a training centre is at grave risk,” she said.

“The short and long term repercussions and implications for the entire state are extremely disturbing and need to be addressed as a matter of urgency.

“Heads must roll – from the board and executive management level. The blame lies entirely at the feet of the hospital management, not at clinicians who dedicate their lives to our sick children.”

Opposition health spokeswoman Ashton Hurn called for an audit of all hospital departments’ accreditation status.