Doctors call for FSH Serco probe
WA doctors want the State Government to launch an immediate review of all Serco contracts at Fiona Stanley Hospital.
Australian Medical Association WA president Michael Gannon said a separate inquiry was needed into who awarded the company the sterilisation contract when it seemed to have no experience in the area.
"If there is any doubt about Serco's expertise or experience in this area, the contract should be cancelled immediately," Dr Gannon said.
"If the minister decides to cancel the sterilisation contract and hand responsibility to the Health Department and Fiona Stanley Hospital, he would have the AMA's strong support."
Several Serco-run services, including sterilisation and orderlies, have been plagued with problems since the hospital opened last year.
"Public confidence about the standard of health care of FSH is being weakened by the performance of Serco and this cannot be allowed to continue," Dr Gannon said.
Earlier yesterday, the father of a Perth man who died in the hospital said health chiefs had admitted the death was the result of poor medical treatment.
Phillip Olsen received an apology at a meeting with hospital management on Thursday, after it was revealed his son Jared was prescribed a potent drug and discharged without being properly monitored.
The drug mercaptopurine proved fatal because blood testing, needed to ensure the 41-year-old had a specific enzyme, went unchecked.
"Those results confirmed Jared did not have the enzyme and should not have been taking those drugs," Mr Olsen told 6PR radio. "Unfortunately, very regrettably and tragically when the results came back no one did anything about it."
On March 5, three weeks after being prescribed the drug for inflammatory bowel disease, Jared died from organ failure.
The hospital has launched an internal inquiry.
