Thread: Australia Queensland - Angry doctor throws baby at Bundaberg Hospital

Angry doctor throws baby at Bundaberg Hospital

A BABY at a Queensland hospital was assaulted by a doctor who lost his temper when the child wouldn't stop wriggling, and an elderly patient was left to die in a hallway after being denied proper treatment, according to allegations made to the Crime and Misconduct Commission.

Three hospital staff have sought whistleblower protection after detailing allegations of gross medical neglect and incompetence, overcrowding, bullying, intimidation and cover-ups at the Bundaberg Hospital.

A highly qualified nurse who spoke to The Courier-Mail told how she was repeatedly made to falsify records to hide lengthy waiting times in the emergency department.

She said triage cases were improperly and dangerously downgraded because of understaffing.

She said a troubled teenager who waited five hours without seeing a doctor ran away and slashed her wrists. And a doctor said he was too busy to see a boy who had been stabbed in the leg in a suspected child abuse case.

The cases are among 100 serious and minor procedural errors on the hospital's prime reporting database.

Dismissed as a troublemaker and frustrated at the lack of response, the nurse and two others took complaints to Burnett MP Rob Messenger, who first raised allegations against the hospital in Parliament in 2005.

"They have made allegations which lead me to reasonably suspect misconduct by a number of public officials," Mr Messenger said.
He called for an inquiry, saying it was clear patients and employees of Bundaberg Hospital were "in continuing danger of physical and psychological danger".

The CMC was told the doctor threw the baby on its back and twisted its arm after angrily shouting, "Keep him still". It is believed the child suffered bruising but was not seriously hurt.
The elderly man who died on the trolley was refused acute care after his triage rating was downgraded.

"Good nurses and doctors and administration officers who work miracles every day are being placed under unbelievable pressure by a government that won't properly resource staff," Mr Messenger said.

He said the $41.1 million upgrade promised by the Beattie-Bligh governments had not happened.

"They have spent $8.6 million and instead of the 30 extra beds promised, we got five. There is clear evidence of understaffing and underfunding."

Mr Messenger said there were more beds at Bundaberg hospital in 1969 than there were now.

The nurse making the allegations said she believed nothing much had changed at Bundaberg since events that sparked a royal commission.

"Patients are still abused and refused proper treatment, and they still have the gall to smooth the whole disgusting mess over with half-truths and convenient forgetfulness," she said.

Angry doctor throws baby at Bundaberg Hospital | National News | News.com.au