Women at Manning Base Hospital let down by the health system, finds the Report of Independent Inquiry into Dr Gayed
Published on February 7, 2019 by Justine Anderson
The Independent Inquiry regarding Dr Emil Gayed reviewed five public hospitals and various governmental agencies. The report, released today, concluded that the health system failed women at the NSW Mid North Coast Manning Base public hospital.
Gail Furness SC examined the decision to appoint Dr Gayed to various roles and whether appropriate reports were made about him.
In respect of Manning Base Hospital Ms Furness said:
“… At Manning Hospital alone, there had been 50 women whose treatment warrants a complaint to the HCCC and many more who had complained directly to the HCCC. Most of these 50 women I have referred to the HCCC—that is, 30 in number—were treated between 2011 and 2015. The health system failed each of these women.”
The report details for the first time the full history of what was known, by whom and it outlines what actions, if any, were taken in the various hospitals where Dr Gayed worked.
Ms Furness has made three recommendations, though arguably the recommendations all focus on new mechanisms to ensure procedures are being performed to an appropriate standard, especially in regional, rural and remote areas where there are few specialists:
- I recommend that governance processes of Hunter New England Local Health District be reviewed to ensure that IIMS reports are monitored at a local health district level to enable issues of patient safety relative to a particular clinician to be identified and to ensure that relevant staff have undertaken the reviews and investigations which the IIMS records as to be or having been undertaken.
- I recommend that public hospitals which have arrangements with Visiting Medical Officers to undertake procedures on their private patients, using public facilities, should establish mechanisms to ensure access to sufficient information about those patients to be satisfied that the procedures are being performed to an appropriate standard.
- The hospital was reliant on Dr Gayed providing most of the obstetrician and gynaecologist services. Local health districts need to identify these circumstances, particularly in regional, rural and remote areas, and ensure there is external oversight of the performance of medical practitioners providing such
“Representing many women treated by Dr Gayed at Manning Base Hospital, we welcome the release of the report which we are reviewing in detail”, said Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers’ Justine Anderson. “We welcome the recommendations which appear sound, but more detail is needed as to their implementation and communication to patients”.
“For the first time women now have a clear and independent account of what has taken place. “This is a significant step for the women affected by the advice from and treatment by Dr Gayed. Whilst these recommendations do not correct the errors of the past; our clients do not want history to repeat itself”, said Ms Anderson. NSW Health has accepted the report and its recommendations in full, according to a statement issued today by Dr Nigel Lyons.
