Almost 100 families impacted by below-standard audiology care for newborn babies and other children at a Queensland hospital will be paid up to $50,000.
A clinical review, completed in July, found 20 newborn babies who underwent diagnostic hearing screening at Townsville University Hospital needed urgent follow-up care, while a further 39 required non-urgent care.
Another 14 children had their cochlear implants recalled after the hearing devices were found to have been incorrectly programmed.
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In total, 97 patients needed additional testing or follow-up care.
The state government on Wednesday announced those patients would be compensated a total of $2.2 million.
Patients who were most severely impacted by the hospital’s failures will be offered a $50,000 one-off, ex-gratia payment, while the people who had to undergo additional testing will be offered $5000.
“While these payments cannot undo what happened, I hope they provide additional support for individuals and families to access further care if needed,” Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said in a statement.
‘‘We know what these patients and families have been through, and we’d like to help in a way that will make a real and tangible difference.”
During the review, a staff member was stood down and another left the hospital.
The investigation, which looked at the treatment of about 400 babies and children, found inconsistencies in audiological screening at the hospital where staff failed to provide the minimum standard of care required.
It uncovered “concerns” relating to staff members’ “understanding” of clinical accountabilities and “operational performance”, Townsville Hospital and Health Service chief executive Kieran Keyes said.
But he said the standard of care provided by the “broader” audiology team “was of an appropriate standard and the team should be recognised for their advocacy and hard work in delivering audiology practice to north Queensland”.
He apologised to the affected parents.
“I understand that regardless of whether a child has been recalled for further care or had their care reviewed as part of this process, there has been great stress placed on families and I apologise sincerely for this,” Keyes said at the release of the report in July.
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