Caboolture Hospital probe widened to include all complaints

All victims of botched surgery or poor care who have come forward will now be included as part of an inquiry into the surgical department of this notorious southeast Queensland hospital, despite previously being left out.

All victims of botched surgery or poor care at Caboolture Hospital who have come forward will now be included as part of an inquiry into its surgical department, despite previously being left out.

The inquiry was ordered earlier this month after The Courier-Mail revealed horror allegations made by hospital whistleblowers that patients were being harmed and in some cases losing their lives as a result of substandard care.

The terms of reference released last week said it would only include cases from 2020 onwards.

However Metro North Hospital and Health Service chair Jim McGowan told ABC Radio yesterday the review would now take into account any complaints about the hospital.

“The review panel has agreed that it will take concerns from people who have had, in their view, adverse reactions to treatment prior to that time,” he said.

The about-face follows pressure from the Opposition and patients disappointed their voices would not be heard in the review.

Former schoolteacher Olivia Keating, who hasn’t worked in over three years since a caesarean at the hospital saw part of her bowel sewn on to her abdomen wall, was one former patient who had been left devastated that her case would not be looked at as part of the review.

Horror stories have emerged of substandard care at Caboolture Hospital. Picture: Peter Wallis

Mr McGowan said his heart went out to Ms Keating, and acknowledged the situation at hospital “is not as we would want it”.

“We’re a very big hospital service … and clearly there are things which go wrong,” he said.

“There are people who are disappointed in the service, and our job is to actually investigate those things properly, and address them where we can, and certainly make sure that procedures are put in place to prevent that from happening.

“That’s my absolute commitment that I make in this regard.”

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said he would continue to call for whistleblowers to be offered genuine protection from the Government.

“If there is a Dr Death in Queensland, we owe it to Queenslanders to make sure that a broken system is repaired,” he said.

“Queenslanders who have suffered deserve to have their voices heard.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told Parliament last week there were already whistleblower laws in Queensland that would protect staff who wanted to come forward.

The review team is being led by general surgeon Dr Jim Sweeney and will also include a perioperative nurse, someone with clinical governance experience and a consumer.

Mr McGowan said any evidence of negligence would be referred to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency for investigation.

Metro North HHS has committed to releasing the inquiry’s final report, which is expected to be finished by October 11, in full.