Nursing association says non-urgent surgery should stop at Caboolture hospital

A Queensland health union has called for non-emergency surgeries, including mastectomies, to be stopped at Caboolture Hospital until claims of unsafe practices are investigated.

Non-emergency surgeries should be immediately stopped at Caboolture Hospital until an urgent investigation can examine claims that patients are being harmed by unsafe practices, according to a group representing nurses at the hospital.

The Nurses Professional Association Queensland has written to Health Minister Yvette D’Ath and the Metro North Hospital board regarding “disturbing stories” that have been shared by the union’s members.

“Regrettably, there seems to be a series of malpractices that have come to our attention which we believe poses serious risk to both patients attending Caboolture Hospital and the registrations of those health practitioners seeing to the care of those patients,” state secretary Aenghas Hopkinson-Pearson wrote.

“In particular, we have received reports of multiple preventable deaths occurring as a result of poor surgical procedures and insufficient infection care.”

A health union has called for non-urgent surgery to be stopped at Caboolture Hospital amid claims patients are being harmed by unsafe practices.

Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union secretary Beth Mohle said the union was working with Metro North Hospital and Health Service officials to address safe workload management issues on behalf of their members at Caboolture Hospital.

“This process is ongoing,” she said. “Queenslanders deserve and should receive quality care.”

Ms Mohle said any of their members at the hospital who had concerns should immediately contact the union.

Mr Hopkinson-Pearson said he had heard similar horror stories to those outlined by whistleblowers to The Courier-Mail including “hack job” surgeries resulting patients being left with irreparable scarring, preventable infections and in the worst cases dead.

“We believe there was a failure to investigate these matters thoroughly through a third party as is required, in order to seek recommendations from the investigation to prevent similar mortalities in the future,” the letter states

Staff have reported that there are surgeries which have been performed and are about to be performed by non-specialised surgeons, Mr Hopkinson-Pearson said.

“Patients are suffering. We urge you to act to stop mastectomies, gastrointestinal surgeries, and other procedures with unsafe practices at Caboolture Hospital immediately until it is safe to resume them,” he writes.

“Furthermore, we request an inquiry from your office into the situation at Caboolture Hospital to stop any further risk to our members or patients.”

A spokesman for Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said she would be seeking advice from her department on the matter.