Doctor George Du Toit’s patient comes forward with complaints after investigation into Mackay Base Hospital

A woman, who remains in pain with serious complications 13 months after an operation, claims she was not told her surgeon was at the centre of an inquiry into alleged substandard care at Mackay’s hospital.

A Mackay woman, who says she’s suffered through 13 months of pain following an operation at the city’s public hospital, has revealed she was not told her surgeon had resigned under a cloud.

The 51-year-old, who has not been named, was a patient of Dr George Du Toit and came forward after a report into the hospital revealed pervasive failures across its obstetrics and gynaecology department, with three children lost due to inadequate care.

It is not alleged Dr Du Toit was to blame for the child deaths.

He did however resign 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.

The woman who came forward to this publication 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.

“He (her consultant doctor) had said many times, ‘it is surgical error, you need to see your surgeon’,” she said

“Now, during this whole process, not one time has Dr Du Toit’s name been mentioned.”

While she knew “something was going on” in relation to concerns about pregnant women and their experiences at the hospital, the woman had believed the problems revolved around obstetrics rather than gynaecology.

She claims she was not contacted by the team investigating critical failures at the hospital and only found about the investigation “weeks ago”.

The 51-year-old, who has not been named, came forward after a report into the hospital revealed pervasive failures across its obstetrics and gynaecology department. Picture: Liam Kidston

On September 13, the woman met with a young doctor at the hospital and pleaded for some understanding.

“(I said) ‘I need someone to stop and listen and understand what is going on … I go home with the pain. Why do you keep asking me to see (another surgeon) and when my surgeon was Dr Du Toit’?

“And then (the doctor) just looked at me and rattled off this phrase that they must all have been taught to say.

“I (said) ‘are you telling me he was the one in this inquiry?’ and (the doctor) went, ‘I thought you knew’.

“I left quite, in a nice way, pissed off, thinking ‘you have led me on for 13 months and never said anything’.”

The woman wants to know why she wasn’t contacted and fears there may be others in the same position.

“And that’s one of the questions,” she said.

“Why? When it was a specific surgery.

“I should have been flagged as being one of Dr Du Toit’s patients.

“They could have rung me and just said, ‘look, we are doing a general review, what was your experience like?’

“And even if they had said, ‘look I’m sorry … but we’re going to do anything we can to help you’, but I haven’t even had that.”

The woman has since contacted Mackay Hospital and Health Service for answers.

In an email seen by the publication, she writes:

“Why have I been ping ponged by the Gynae clinic for the past 13 months with no diagnosis/answer to my ongoing pain in the left lower side of the abdomen and complications (urination difficulties) from the surgery?

“Why was I never informed of Dr George Du Toit’s inquiry/review and resignation. There have been many occasions that this could have been discussed as I have attended multiple appointments over the past 13 months in regard to ongoing pain in the lower left abdomen and complications with urination.”

Queensland Health Minster Yvette D'Ath at the Mackay Base Hospital on September 30.

MHHS told the woman in a September 29 she would receive a response to her queries within 35 days.

Separately, the health service confirmed to this publication that all patient complaints, regardless of when the care occurred, would be “appropriately considered”.

“Mackay HHS is committed to ensuring every patient feels safe and respected when they receive care,” a spokesman said.

The woman said pursuing compensation was “an option” she was considering.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath confirmed October 5 that women who were unaware of the investigation or the consequences of the September 30 report into the hospital would have a chance to pursue compensation against the government.

“I want to make sure there is a process for them,” the Minister said.

The MHHS board was issued with a show cause notice on September 30, giving them a week to declare why they should not be dismissed.

“Because of the egregious nature of these failings, today I am issuing a show cause notice to the MHHS board as to how they can effectively discharge their duties and obligations and whether any or all of the board members should be dismissed,” she said.

On October 7, the board was granted another week to reply to the notice.