SA-BEST calls for independent inquiry into W&CH’s accreditation “crisis”

An independent inquiry is urgently needed into the ongoing medical accreditation crisis at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, SA-BEST has urged. 

SA-BEST MLC and Health spokesperson, Connie Bonaros, made the call today following the revelation the once world-renowned hospital is in the midst of more accreditation woes – the third such time in less than three months. 

This time round the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) has only provisionally extended its accreditation - for only 12 months instead of the norm of about three years – for the hospital and with specific conditions. 

This follows similar accreditation issues with the hospital’s Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU). 

“Another day, another glaring sign of incompetence of the senior executive of the W&CH,” Connie said. 

“What on earth is going on in the Executive Suite of the hospital,” she said. 

“Heads must roll – and they must roll from the Board and Executive Management level. 

“The blame lies entirely at the feet of the hospital management - not at dedicated medical clinicians who dedicate their lives to our sick children – who should never have got the hospital into this crisis in the first place. 

“It is completely unacceptable.” 

Failure of the WCH to maintain its accreditation status will force young doctors wanting to be physicians to head interstate to receive their training. 

It is believed the hospital’s latest accreditation woes centre around supervision of Trainee Medical Officers (TMOs), as well as workloads and rostering. 

“When the first accreditation crisis surfaced, we called the hospital’s Executive before a Parliamentary Select Committee where they voiced their ‘surprise’ at the crisis,” Connie said. 

“One would have thought they would have gone back to their offices to ensure no more operational issues arose – apparently not,” she said. 

“At the time I called for an independent inquiry – I reiterate that today. Two months down the track it appears nothing has changed/improved. 

“As a matter of urgency, I call on Executive to publicly release the report/correspondence from The Royal Australian College of Physicians (RACP) College and provide a public response to it. 

“It not, I will call them before the Parliamentary Committee again and demand a copy.”