Longstanding Doomadgee Hospital doctor sacked weeks before woman’s death

Doomadgee’s longest serving doctor, who had conflict with Gidgee Healing over lack of record sharing, was sacked by Queensland Health just weeks before an 18-year-old woman died, an inquest has heard.

Betty, 18, died at Doomadgee Hospital September 23, 2019, from cardiac arrhythmia complicating heart failure due to the consequences of past rheumatic fever. She only been diagnosed with RHD two months earlier. Picture: Supplied

Doomadgee’s longest serving doctor, who had conflict with Gidgee Healing over lack of record sharing, was sacked by Queensland Health several weeks before the death of an 18-year-old from heart failure, an inquest has heard.

Dr Craig Hamilton, who had worked as a doctor in the north west community of 1400 people for nine years, had clashed with fledgling Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (CCHO) Gidgee Healing, believing it not was not mature enough or equipped with skills, workforce and systems to take on the immediate primary care of the local community.

Betty (centre), 18, died at Doomadgee Hospital September 23, 2019, from cardiac arrhythmia complicating heart failure due to the consequences of past rheumatic fever. She only been diagnosed with RHD two months earlier. Picture: Supplied

Handing down her findings into the deaths of three women in Doomadgee in 2019, Northern Coroner Nerida Wilson found that Dr Hamilton’s concerns were legitimate and Gidgee did not have the resources to provide primary health care to 47 people transferred over to it.

She said Dr Hamilton clashed with Queensland Health over the issue and was to be redeployed to Normanton Hospital.

“His departure represented a significant loss of local and organisational knowledge,” Ms Wilson said.

“At no time during this inquest was the court provided with any example of successful record sharing.”

Dr Hamilton left Doomadgee on August 5, 2019, for days off, and his employment was terminated on August 13.

Ms Wilson noted Doomadgee Hospital had no medical superintendent at the conclusion of the inquest, which ran from July 18 to October 13, 2022.

She noted Doomadgee had three record keeping systems, and none of them were integrated or interfaced.

The remote north west township of Doomadgee has a population of about 1400. Picture: Supplied

Giving evidence at the inquest in August last year, Dr Hamilton said systemic communication failure played a role in the women’s deaths, with animosity between Gidgee Healing and Doomadgee Hospital.

He said the two buildings were neighbouring but records were not easily shared between them.

Dr Anderson said he was on call for 24 hours during 10 day shifts, with many people needing or requesting treatment after midnight.

The inquest heard that people were confused about which service to use.

The former Gidgee Healing chief executive Renee Blackman gave evidence about difficulties with the transition and said “it could have been done better”.

Gidgee was expected to take on chronic health issues and community outreach, leaving emergency and acute services to the hospital.

Ms Wilson said complexities were further compounded by multiple funding models across state and federal governments.

In June 2021, State Health Minister Yvette D’Ath sacked the board of the North West Hospital and Health Service (NWHHS), citing concerns about governance and financial management.

Some members resigned after Ms D’Ath issued a show cause notice to the board in May 2021.

Eleven of the 16 NWHHS services operated at a loss in 2019-20.

Originally published as Longstanding Doomadgee Hospital doctor sacked weeks before woman’s death