A distraught couple who lost their baby boy at just four days old have said far more needs to be done to raise the standard of regional healthcare in Queensland.
When Jenna McGregor went into labour with baby Hugo last March, she and her husband Andre went to their local hospital in the small town of Proserpine.
But due to a lack of staff, they were moved to Mackay Base Hospital, 125km south of Prosperpine.
Ms McGregor then had to wait another six hours before she was given an epidural.
‘They were making comments like, “I don’t know how this machine works, it’s not the same as where I used to work”,’ she told 9News.
Distraught couple Andre and Jenna McGregor (pictured) who lost their baby boy at just four days old, have said far more needs to be done to raise the standard of regional healthcare in Queensland
Several hours after arriving at Mackay, her contractions were slowing.
A Queensland Health investigation into the McGregor’s devastating experience said labour was ‘not likely to progress effectively without intervention’.
‘The report is saying there should have been an escalation around midday once she realised that I hadn’t dilated any further in seven hours,’ Ms McGregor said.
It would be another four hours before she was given a syntocinon drip to try to increase labour again.
The report into the case said that at this point in labour ‘there should be a transition to obstetric-led care’ and ‘there is strong potential that syntocinon has further contributed to foetal stress leading to decompensation (organ failure)’.
But Ms McGregor said the syntocinon dosage was increased and ‘about 10 minutes later Hugo’s heart rate just plummeted’.
She was given a general anaesthetic and taken to an operating theatre for a caesarean section, while her husband was not allowed in.
Hugo was born at 4.32pm, but was pale and floppy. He was resuscitated and taken to the paediatric ward where he had seizures.
‘When I woke up I was straight away told that my surgery went well… and I asked what about my baby,’ Ms McGregor said, through tears.
Four days later, Hugo died from catastrophic brain injuries caused by a lack of oxygen.
Hugo was born at 4.32pm, but was pale and floppy. He was resuscitated and taken to the paediatric ward where he had seizures. Hugo is pictured with his mum, Jenna McGregor
In 2022, a report into gynaecology and obstetrics at Mackay Base Hospital found catastrophic failings that led to the death of three infants.
The report vowed there would be systematic change, but the McGregors say this has not happened.
‘(It’s) no better at all,’ Mr McGregor said. ‘When you’ve got oxygen tanks empty, equipment failures, staff not following processes, no documentation.’
He said they had decided to go public about what happened to them because ‘the public are being lied to and deceived about the safety of maternity services at Mackay’.
‘We’re told that there’s no difference in care from regional to cities, but clearly that is the case,’ Mr McGregor said.
‘How many more babies need to die before they actually make a proper change and actually do what they say they are going to do?’
The report into what happened to baby Hugo said there were ‘numerous communication issues’ and ‘ongoing poor culture for interdisciplinary respect’.
‘There seems to be a sense of “there is enough people in the room” … with limited consideration for “are they the right people?” the report stated.
Queensland’s Labor government said Mackay Base Hospital (pictured) is committed to change
‘That report finds 34 failings in it on that day, this is not one or two issues, this is systemic, organisational issues at that hospital,’ Mr McGregor said.
The McGregors’ case has been referred to the coroner and health ombudsman.
Queensland’s Labor government said Mackay Base Hospital is committed to change.
The hospital and health service said it has acted on all the recommendations made in the report, such as improvements to training, documentation and communication.
