Minister denies baby death allegations

Press, 24 May 1986, Page 8

Minister denies baby death allegations

PA Auckland Allegations that premature babies have died at National Women’s Hospital, Auckland, because of overcrowding and staff shortages have been discounted by the Minister of Health, Dr Bassett. After a visit to the hospital yesterday, Dr Bassett said there was no evidence to suggest that there had been a sudden increase in deaths as a result of pressures facing the neonatal unit. “The numbers are not significantly higher than through the history of the unit or at any other unit in the country,” he said. Dr Bassett met the Auckland Hospital Board’s chairman, Dr Frank Rutter, at National Women’s after comments from a pediatrician, Dr

Peter Nobbs, that up to four babies had died because of its condition. Dr Nobbs said overcrowding meant babies could not be isolated and nurses could not give individual care, so the risk of infection was increased. While Dr Bassett acknowledged the need to improve conditions, he said there was always a risk of death by infection when dealing with such small babies. The board is planning improvements to tide it over until a new neonatal unit is built either at Middlemore Hospital or the new children’s hospital. The neonatal unit will be expanded and the airconditioning improved. A special training

course, run by a nurse educationist from Canada, is expected to begin in July. It will train qualified nurses for neonatal work. The hospital’s principal nurse, Mrs Edna Davis, said the neonatal unit was short by nine full-time nurses. Fifty-one nurses worked in the unit on a roster, but international figures showed that about 96 nurses were needed. The Medical Association has renewed its call for a Royal commission on health after the controversy. The chairman of the association, Dr John Broadfoot, said the problem had come at a time when the Government had announced that seven hospital boards had had funding cuts. “Health professionals

appreciate that the Vote Health gets can’t be allowed to go on growing and that restraint has to be shown,” he said. "But many of us are becoming increasingly concerned that decisions on the future of our health service are being taken in isolation.” Dr Broadfoot said it was now imperative that a Royal commission look at the health service and set priorities. The Opposition spokesman on Health, Mr Paul East, said it was essential that a second neonatal unit be established in Auckland as quickly as possible. It was the responsiblity of Dr Bassett to ensure that neonatal units were fully staffed by properly qualified nurses.