By Ann Marie
THE Werribee Mercy Hospital has come under fire for the second time in less than a month over problems in its emergency department.
The hospital closed overnight for six hours last Thursday after the two rostered doctors called in sick.
And the Australian Medical Association said last month that six of the hospital’s emergency department doctors resigned during the past year because of poor conditions.
Minister for Health Bronwyn Pike said she was disappointed the 190-bed hospital didn’t meet its government contract to provide 24-hour service.
“They have the resources they need, and they’ve got a brand new emergency department that we funded for them,” she said.
“They have an obligation to put in place the services, and I’m very disappointed in this instance, they didn’t fulfil that responsibility.”
Dr Peter Longmore, the hospital’s director of medical services, said the hospital acted quickly, given the short notice.
He said staff contacted local emergency services, Footscray’s Western Hospital and all consultants with patients in hospital about the situation.
“There were never any doors locked or signs saying that the hospital was closed, and the nursing staff was always available,” he said.
Four patients came in for treatment during the midnight to 6am period, the most serious being a man suffering an allergic reaction.
Paramedic staff inserted a breathing tube before taking him to Western Hospital.
Dr Longmore said the man would have been transferred in any case because the Werribee Mercy was not an intensive-care hospital.
He said the hospital had now established contingency procedures to ensure the situation didn’t happen again.
These included rostering three doctors on overnight and training junior residents in emergency practice.
Hospital management expected to employ a permanent emergency department director to replace an acting director who has filled in since earlier this year.
Dr Longmore said no connection could be drawn between the six departing doctors and the department’s unscheduled closure.
“Some of those doctors have, in fact, returned,” he said.
Wyndham City Council mayor Shane Bourke said the situation was unfortunate and unexpected, but the council maintained full confidence in the hospital.
“It was an unacceptable situation – we know that and the hospital knows it – but we’re behind them 100 per cent,” he said.
Dr Mark Yates, Victorian president of the Australian Medical Association said the situation would not have come about if public hospital doctors were adequately paid for their services.
