Questions raised over ‘flawed’ report into death at Bundaberg Hospital

A review into allegations that nurses at a regional Queensland hospital were prescribing dementia patients with “large doses” of endone, resulting in the death of an elderly man, has been described as a “farce” by a patient advocate.

Patient advocate Beryl Crosby has questioned an investigation which cleared the Bundaberg Hospital of wrongdoing in terms of drugs administration.

A review into allegations that nurses at a regional Queensland hospital were prescribing dementia patients with “large doses” of endone, resulting in the death of an elderly man has been described as a “farce” by a patient advocate.

The advocate has teamed up with Burnett LNP MP Stephen Bennett to demand clarity on what they claim was a “flawed” review into medication practices at the Bundaberg Hospital.

Mr Bennett put a question on notice to Health Minister Health Shannon Fentiman on Thursday, February 15, 2024, to make clear exactly who and which authorities former health minister Yvette D’ath referred the allegations regarding drug administration in Ward 3 to in 2022, when she made that referral and what those authorities decided as a result.

It had been alleged nurses were prescribing dementia patients “large doses” of endone to keep them quiet, with further allegations these practices had led to an elderly man's death.

Patient advocate Beryl Crosby wrote to the former Minister for Health Yvette D’Ath on 18 May 2022 regarding allegations of patient harm and death on medical ward 3 in 2021. The former Minister D’ath advised Ms Crosby that she has referred this matter to ‘other relevant authorities’.

Mr Bennett has asked “will the Minister confirm (a) who these relevant authorities were, (b) when it was referred to each authority and (c) what the outcomes and decisions were from each authority”.

In November 2022, the clinical review and Health Service Investigation cleared the hospital of the allegations and made 39 recommendations.

Patient advocate Beryl Crosby.

‘THEY DIDN’T LOOK AT ALL THE CHARTS’

Ms Crosby said the fresh call for full disclosure stemmed from talks with government bodies and Queensland Health Director General Michael Walsh to have the review assessed for what she believes are shortcomings.

“The review was a farce; when they completed the review and made it public they said there was no harm,” she said.

“They didn’t look at all the charts, they can’t say there was no harm or deaths when they didn’t look.”

Ms Crosby claimed she struggled to get a straight answer over who completed the review, and the depth of the investigation to clear the allegations.

“I had many talks with the Director General over why I believe this review wasn’t done properly and he went and looked at the terms of reference for the investigation,” she said.

According to Ms Crosby, staff were not interviewed in line with the terms of reference, and only a handful of patient charts were assessed, not 12 months of charts as initially indicated.

“They felt there wasn’t a need for it as it had already been dealt with, but it had been dealt with as a HR issue about missing medication, it was nothing to do with reviewing what happened to those patients,” she said.

“The review findings themselves should have made it obvious they needed to check more of the charts.”

The question before parliament comes from former health minister Yvette D’ath’s response to Ms Crosby’s initial whistleblowing letter which sparked the 2022 review.

“I take these allegations extremely seriously and have referred the matter to Mr Shaun Drummond, A/Director-General, Queensland Health, and requested that the matter be reviewed, with outcomes of the findings be provided for my consideration,” Ms D’Ath said in 2022.

“I am advised that Clinical Excellence Queensland is currently examining the allegations, and that other relevant authorities have also had this matter referred to them.”

LNP Burnett MP Stephen Bennett has backed patient health advocate Beryl Crosby.

Ms Crosby had her own questions for the review process, and how it was handled by the former health minister.

“When I sent that email to Yvette D’ath with those allegations she said that she took them very seriously, and I was told they would go to the appropriate authorities,” she said.

“I presumed that might have included the police, but no one could ever tell me where she sent it.

“Did she give it to Queensland Health to investigate themselves? Did they pick the people to do the review; a review which didn’t even comply with the terms of reference?”

Ms Crosby was thankful for the support of Mr Bennett, who has done his own investigations into the depth of the review and made his own calls for a renewed review into practices at the hospital.

“The 2022 Health Service Investigation and Clinical Review into the Bundaberg Hospital was flawed from the beginning,” Mr Bennett said.

“It failed to provide answers and failed to deliver justice for the patients and their families.

“What are they not telling us? I will continue to fight for our community and push for a full external and independent investigation into the Bundaberg Hospital.”

Ms Fentiman has 30 days to respond to the question before parliament but responded to the concerns shared by Ms Crosby and said “allegations about clinical malpractice are taken very seriously.”

“A comprehensive and independent Health Service investigation and a Clinical Review were conducted into medication management and administration at Bundaberg Hospital in July 2022, these were in addition to the internal review conducted by the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service,” Ms Fentiman said.

“The Health Service Investigation was undertaken by a geriatrician (medical doctor specialising in geriatrics), a nurse specialising in geriatrics, a pharmacist and a consumer according to strict terms of reference. All independent to the Hospital.

“There is no evidence to support claims the Clinical Review, Health Service Investigation or the internal WBHHS investigation were substandard.

“If anyone has evidence to the contrary, I encourage them to please bring them to our attention immediately.”