Bacchus Marsh hospital baby deaths probe revealed

UPDATE: A SECOND investigation into infant deaths at Bacchus Marsh hospital has found four babies died in avoidable circumstances, while another case ended in tragedy before the mother arrived at the hospital.

Health Minister Jill Hennessy will outline details about avoidable baby deaths at Bacchus Marsh Hospital this morning. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

A SECOND investigation into infant deaths at Bacchus Marsh hospital has found four babies died in avoidable circumstances in its maternity unit, while another case ended in tragedy before the mother arrived at the troubled hospital.

The deaths confirmed by Health Minister Jill Hennessy this morning put the toll of the Bacchus Marsh baby deaths scandal at 11, following an initial investigation by Prof Ewan Wallace which last year identified seven avoidable stillbirths and infant deaths in 2013-14.

Announcing details of the latest investigation, Ms Hennessy said a separate investigation was being undertaken into the care of one mother provided outside the hospital, as well as the other deaths inside the hosptial.

A fifth death inside the hospital, which was originally suspected of being avoidable by those investigating, has now been cleared of any issues.

The circumstances surrounding avoidable baby deaths at Bacchus Marsh are being revealed this morning.

Ms Hennessy is outlining details of the latest probe into the troubled hospital during a press conference at Parliament House.

As revealed by the Herald Sun in April, a second extensive investigation uncovered several suspect deaths between 2001 and 2013, which had not previously been disclosed by the health service.

It followed an earlier investigation which revealed seven avoidable infant deaths at the hospital in 2013 and 2014.

The second investigation by Professor Euan Wallace was handed to the health department in March, however the Herald Sun understands it has taken two months for officers to track down all of the families involved so that they could be informed of the circumstances surrounding their loss of their child.

Dr Surinder Parhar. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

The Office of the Health Services Commissioner is also undertaking further investigations into 38 complaints relating to events at the Bacchus Marsh obstetrics unit between 1990 and 2015, which emerged after the Herald Sun first reveals the baby deaths scandal last October.

Five other complaints have already been death with by the commissioner, however Ms Hennessy is expected to this morning provide an update on the remaining probes which all centre on the management of pregnancy and labour.

TIMELINE

2013-2014: 11 pregnancies end in stillbirth or death during birth at Bacchus Marsh and Melton Regional Hospital.

June 2015: The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency places conditions on the registration of the hospital’s head of obstetrics, Dr Surinder Parhar, after an investigation into the care provided to a woman during 2013. He soon resigns.

October 1, 2015: Dr Parhar is deregistered as a medical practitioner and leaves Australia.

October 16, 2015: Herald Sun reveals the investigation into the deaths of the babies, which found seven of the deaths could have been avoided.

October 20, 2015: Herald Sun reveals a series of confidential settlements to patients from Dr Parhar and the hospital.

November 7, 2015: Herald Sun reveals the former head of the hospital, Bruce Marshal, received multiple warnings about issues linked to the deaths but did not act.

December 2015: Dr Parhar quietly returns to Bacchus Marsh from India.

April 15, 2016: Herald Sun reveals a further five babies - making 11 in total - have been found to have died under potentially avoidable circumstances between 2001 and 2013.

May 6, 2016: Jacqui Hawkins found poor heart monitoring by midwives was as a key factor in the deaths of three babies at Bacchus Marsh hospital, with a coronial investigation into then deaths of three babies identified in the first Wallace report stating the infants died amid ‘sub-optimal care”, with significant failings during their deliveries.

June 8, 2016: Health Minister Jill Hennessy confirms details of the second Wallace investigation into baby deaths at Bacchus Marsh Hospital, raising the number believed to have died in avoidable circumstances to 11.