Caboolture Hospital surgery crisis deepens with potential victims left out of inquiry
A mother of seven who endured 11 procedures after an operation at Caboolture Hospital left her unable to work says she wants “mistakes” at the facility to be acknowledged.
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When Olivia Keating learned she may not be part of an inquiry into shocking allegations at Caboolture Hospital she burst into tears.
An independent review has been ordered to investigate the allegation brought forward by whistleblowers – but it will only extend back to 2020.
Ms Keating, a former high school teacher hasn’t worked in more than three years after a caesarean section operation at the hospital saw part of her bowel sewn onto her abdomen wall.
“I have a football of organs ... that stick outside of my body,” Ms Keating said.
“I had a doctor that sat next to my bedside and apologised for sewing my bowel to my abdomen wall.
“That doctor wasn’t allowed to speak to me after that.”
The mum-of-seven, just wants to be acknowledged.
“How many other people are there,” she said as tears again welled in her eyes.
“My first reaction was ‘what are they so afraid of’.
“If they don’t think that the wrong thing happened than open it up, it doesn’t matter the time frame.
“These are people’s lives … most of us just want to be acknowledged.
“Your mistakes are ruining people’s lives.”
Her admission comes after multiple current and former staff at Caboolture Hospital blew the whistle on what they say are alarming issues at the facility north of Brisbane, with fears concerns are falling on deaf ears.
The shocking allegations made by the medical professionals include; botched surgeries leading to patients being “hacked” and preventable deaths, a staff member assaulting a patient and bullying of those who speak out in the interests of patient safety.
In response, to claims patients were dying and being maimed as a result of substandard care an independent inquiry into the surgical department at Caboolture Hospital was launched.
Metro North Health Board Chair Jim McGowan announced on Thursday he would launch an independent external review into surgical services at Caboolture for “transparency and community confidence”.
The State LNP however labelled the investigation a “sham”.
Spokeswoman Ros Bates said it was disappointing the review would not consider any cases or complaints before 2020.
“This is a sham inquiry … the type of inquiry you have when you don’t actually want to know the answers,” she said.
“If you limit the time frame then that’s going to limit the number of people who would be eligible to be found in this inquiry.
“We need to have public consultation … often times people don’t know that they’ve been hurt or they think that was a normal rehabilitation process when it wasn’t.”
State Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the terms of reference were set by the chair of the Metro North Hospital and Health board.
“They’ve engaged an independent specialist from interstate to do this review,” she said.
“This is the proper course I would expect as our hospital and health services are all independent statutory bodies to take this course of action.
“I’ve made it very clear and the chair has put this in the terms of reference that people can come forward with any concerns or complaints or issues … and they would be considered as part of this review.”
Ms Keating, is just one of many who have come forward to share their stories.
The 44-year-old had 11 abdominal surgeries to try and fix ongoing complications as a result of the original surgery that she says has “ruined my life”.
Eventually, Ms Keating had to invoke Ryan’s Rule.
Within 24 hours she was in surgery again, three days later another followed washing out septicaemia in ‘every nerve ending of her torso’.
Ms Keating said the saga isn’t over, she’s now facing two more surgeries.
“It’s only three years ago that this all happened, that wasn’t the first botch up – it was eight procedures later.
“I had the wound clinic at North Lakes pleading with a surgeon to remove a net that was septic.
“When I saw the surgeon the last time he said to me ‘just go home and lose some weight’.
“Four days later they removed the mesh they said if that hadn’t I would have died.
“This is the attitude and the arrogance of medical officers who do not want to find themselves accountable.”
Ms Keating says she also believes her records were ‘created’.
“My notes show that I suffered from a pregnancy related hernia,” she said.
“It’s just cover up after cover up after cover up.
“It’s actually creating the narrative of ‘it was a pregnancy related hernia’, OK that can happen but it doesn’t make sense because they would’ve picked that up earlier.
“It’s about them creating documentation to reflect what they want to reflect.”
She says the effects of what she went through at Caboolture Hospital were felt throughout her whole family.
“My children had to live through me nearly dying over and over,” Ms Keating said.
“My partner had to see his partner nearly dying over and over.
“You don’t know what it’s like to say goodbye to somebody before you go into surgery.”
Ms Keating has joined forces with patient advocate Beryl Crosby, who lived through the Dr Death saga, to urge others to come forward.
“Never would I have thought that three years later I would be standing here trying to say to other people, it’s OK,” Ms Keating said.
“I know it’s hard … what happened is not OK, I know that mistakes were made but it’s acknowledging.”
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