An independent review into medication management and patient safety at the Bundaberg Hospital has found no evidence to support claims of improper sedation, Queensland Health says.
Queensland Health director-general Shaun Drummond commissioned the review after allegations staff were inappropriately administering sedatives, practices were leading to patient harm and deaths, and staff feared reprisals about raising concerns.
In June, the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service confirmed a nurse was sacked and three other staff were disciplined over two incidents that took place at separate Bundaberg Hospital wards in 2021.
Mr Drummond said the review, which included the two incidents, found there was no patient harm or death due to inappropriately administered sedatives.
The full review has not been made public, but the executive summary released today made 39 recommendations to improve practices, including addressing issues with workplace culture, revising the model of care for cognitively impaired patients, and continuing to minimise the use of physical and pharmacological restraints.
In a statement, the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service chief executive Debbie Carroll said she welcomed the results of the investigation and had accepted all 39 recommendations in the report.
"We discovered potential concerns during a routine audit and carried out swift and comprehensive action prior to the review and its recommendations," she said.
"While the investigation found that the policies and procedures at Bundaberg Hospital were adequate, we have taken this opportunity to further strengthen and streamline processes and areas for improvement."
The health service declined to respond to any questions.
The local member for Bundaberg, Tom Smith, said one of the nurses who was disciplined for "breach[ing] the standards set by the health board", had administered a sedative to a patient that was 2.5 milligrams over the recommended dosage.
"That nurse [who over-medicated] was disciplined and … was not allowed to administer medication," he said.
"Also in 2021, a nurse … took a schedule 8 medication and did not administer it to the patient."
Mr Smith said Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service sacked that nurse and disciplined two other nurses aware of the matter.
However, he said, overwhelmingly the findings showed Bundaberg Hospital was a good quality hospital for healthcare.
"The review says specifically in the schedule for medication administration in question, that there was absolutely no patient harm, no patient death as a result," Mr Smith said.
"This just shows that patient health and safety is absolutely number one."
The ABC contacted the state Health Minister Yvette D'Ath's office for comment but was directed to Police Minister Mark Ryan.
"I have been advised that the independent investigation have been completed and not only has it found that the allegations weren't substantiated, but that there was no evidence at all," he said.
When asked to provide more information, the minister directed the ABC to inquire with Queensland Health.
Acting Health Minister Steven Miles also declined comment.
Patient advocate disputes findings
The Bundaberg Hospital review findings follow a probe into patient care at the Mackay Hospital which led to the entire Mackay Hospital and Health Service Board being sacked.
Patient advocate Beryl Crosby who sparked the investigations into both hospitals, said she did not accept the findings from the Bundaberg Hospital review.
"In my view, harm is always done when you over medicate a patient," she said.
"I believe patients were harmed and this report says no harms or death occurred."
An executive summary of the findings has been published online, but Ms Cosby said she wanted the review to be published in full.
"The HHS [Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service] put out a statement basically saying there's nothing to see here," she said.
"The director-general has put out a release with 39 recommendations, they talk about a lot of things in that.
"We need this report [to be] made public, because that report itself is damning."
