Missing millions keep Sydney Children’s Hospital in cardiac surgery stalemate

Critically ill babies are being shunted to Westmead despite a $10 million pledge to restore cardiac surgery at the Sydney Children’s Hospital. Now staff are asking, what happened to the money?

Two years after NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard pledged $10 million to return cardiac surgery to the Sydney Children’s Hospital (SCH) Randwick, not a single cardiac surgery has been performed.

After two independent reviews, roundtables, numerous consultations and a very public brawl in 2019, the NSW Government pledged the money to provide the equipment and infrastructure required to return cardiac surgery in January 2020, but there has been no resolution.

“We don’t know where the $10 million is, we do not know what has happened to it, we have done no cardiac surgery at all,” Dr Michael Solomon, chair of the Sydney Children’s Hospital Medical Staff Council, said.

Dr Michael Solomon speaking at a rally in support of saving cardiac surgery at the Sydney Children's Hospital in 2019. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

“In two years nothing is changed, the administration says we have committees in place but it is kicking the can down the road, absolutely nothing has changed, there has been no cardiac surgery done at Randwick.

“They have killed us by committee,” Dr Solomon said.

Cardiac surgery at SCH Randwick has dwindled over the years with only one cardiac surgeon, Dr Peter Grant available, who is nearing retirement. Most cardiologists now refer surgery to cardiac surgeons based at the Children’s Hospital Westmead. CHW has pushed for a one stop centre for cardiac excellence, arguing splitting the services over the two paediatric hospitals somehow diminished quality.

“The excuse is always we can’t just dive in to do cardiac surgery and we accept that, however the process of getting all the infrastructure up and running is essentially not happening because the cardiologists, who are the gatekeepers do not want it to happen at Randwick,” Dr Solomon said.

The Children's Hospital at Westmead now undertakes the majority of cardiac surgery. Picture: Supplied

“Apart from Peter Grant, who is the surgeon at Randwick, none of the cardiologists or the cardiac surgeons who are all based out at Westmead, do not want to come to Randwick,” he said.

The tussle over cardiac resources between the two hospitals, which were combined under the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network (SCHN) in 2010, has brewed for over a decade with no resolution in sight.

“The administration has said we are putting in processes and improving cardiology but we know the cardiologists do not want any surgery happening at Randwick. Any child that needs cardiac surgery they shift over to Westmead,” Dr Solomon said.

Marjorie O’Neill, the Member for Coogee, where the hospital is based, said SCH had an integral relationship with adjacent Royal Hospital for Women and babies were being affected by the stalemate.

Recently a premature baby weighing just 500gm was transferred to Westmead for cardiac surgery.

“We must ensure that these seriously ill babies are not separated from their mums receiving treatment at the Royal,” Dr O’Neill said.

Babies born at the Royal Hospital for Women are affected by the stalemate as well. Picture: iStock

Dr Meredith Ward, secretary of the RHW staff medical council, said critically ill babies were already being forced to travel to Westmead.

“There are also ongoing serious concerns about lack of availability of emergency cardiac surgical and cardiac anaesthetic services on the Randwick campus affecting care of critically ill babies,” Dr Ward said.

“On occasion, this has resulted in ventilated babies being transferred to Westmead for emergency cardiac surgery when the sole paediatric cardiac surgeon based at Randwick was on leave. This situation is extremely unsatisfactory, and urgent action is needed to restore elective and emergency cardiac surgical services as previously advised by the Minister.”

A spokeswoman for the Sydney Children's Hospital Network said expanded services, new equipment, infrastructure and staff had been appointed to support children and families with cardiac disease, including “refurbishment and recent opening of a Heart Centre for Children at SCH”.

Dr Solomon said none of the expanded services included cardiac surgery.

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