It’s Bigger Than A ‘Nose Blow’

The recent stories surrounding Urologist Dr Daryl Stephens who works at the Mackay Base Hospital have shocked many, but surely not as much as the Obstetrics and Gynaecology investigation which saw five staff members suspended, three babies die, 81 cases filed, and 162 patients involved.

The Obstetrics and Gynaecology report, which was released by Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath two weeks ago, identified multiple examples of substandard clinical care and the five clinicians involved in the investigation are no longer employed by Queensland Health.

Meanwhile it is Dr Stephens’ alleged ‘nose blow’ and ‘trouser drop’ incidents that continue to domimate headlines and cast his professional ability into question.

Where have the five suspended staff members in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology report gone, what did they do and why have their names not been leaked to the media?

Is Dr Stephens’ case being used as a scapegoat to take the heat off a much bigger story that is currently being swept under the drapes?

A colleague who has requested to remain anonymous has suggested this could be the case.

“I agree with the sentiment that I am perhaps being used as a distraction,” said Dr Stephens.

“They [the gynaecology and obstetrics investigations] were terrible circumstances, in fact I performed emergency surgery on six patients from the gynaecology ward to fix-up mistakes.

“I remember having to drop everything in the middle of the night to attend these emergencies and myself and other surgeons had been concerned for some time about what was happening in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department.”

Dr Stephens said it was now “ironic” that he is being scrutinised for two minor hygiene allegations when he was the one to have” fixed” issues on the much larger cases.

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