The state government has made sweeping changes to maternity services leadership and training at Bacchus Marsh and Melton Regional Hospital following a series of “catastrophic” clinical and governance failures that may have contributed to the deaths of seven babies.
An independent probe into the deaths of 11 babies during or shortly after birth in the space of two years found seven of these deaths may have been prevented.
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Health authorities were advised in March by the Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity of a higher than normal number of stillbirths and newborn deaths at the Djerriwarrh Health Services’ hospital in 2013 and 2014.
Administrator appointed
Health Minister Jill Hennessy sacked Djerriwarrh Health Services’ board last Friday and replaced it with an administrator.
“What has happened here has been a series of catastrophic failures by a number of parties that may have contributed to the very sad loss of young life,” Ms Hennessy said.
“There is nothing that will ever mend the loss of losing a child, and to learn that that death may have been avoidable but for a series of system failures can only compound that loss and pain.”
Melton mayor Sophie Ramsey served on the board for the past 10 years and is one of the axed members.
Her role involved attending regular meetings about patient-client care.
Cr Ramsey declined to comment.
The overhaul of the hospital’s leadership started with the appointment of an interim chief executive at Djerriwarrh on August 3; a new consultant medical services director and a new obstetrics and gynaecology director are yet to be recruited.
‘Devastating situation’
Dr John Ballard, a ministry-appointed delegate to the board, said this “devastating” situation should never have come about.
“Our priority is to provide the families with full disclosure about what happened to their babies,” he said.
“We apologise to the families involved and we are working very hard to ensure that this devastating event will never happen again.”
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Victorian secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said she wished the external review had been instigated earlier.
“Our members are devastated for the families that are subject to the clinical review,” she said. “But we also believe this process will answer many questions that the women involved and their families have not had answered adequately or accurately in the past.”
Ms Fitzpatrick said staff had in the past communicated their concerns about risk-taking, understaffing and a lack of policies, procedures and essential equipment to Djerriwarrh’s director of nursing and to the Health Department, but their concerns were not addressed.
