The former director of clinical and quality support services at Bacchus Marsh Hospital has been disqualified for two years, after a cluster of stillbirth and newborn deaths between 2011 and 2013.
It comes after the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and National Boards — the bodies responsible for ensuring healthcare standards across Australia — launched an investigation in relation to 101 matters that led to potentially preventable neonatal deaths at the hospital.
It was not suggested Elizabeth Wilson, who was in the role from 2009 and 2015, had been directly responsible for the deaths but the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) found five allegations of professional misconduct and unprofessional conduct were proven against her.
The allegations included that she failed to ensure there was an effective investigation after incidents were reported by staff.
The physiotherapy board of Australia was seeking a 10-year disqualification period against Ms Wilson, a licensed physiotherapist at the time of the incidents, but the period was reduced to two years.
Ms Wilson has been retired and unregistered since 2016.
Other allegations which were found to be proven during the tribunal included that Ms Wilson failed to ensure the operator, Djerriwarrh Health Service, had a system in place that required clinical areas to identify risk and ensure proper training was in place.
Forty-three registered health practitioners were investigated by AHPRA over the 101 matters reported at the hospital, with some practitioners the subject of multiple notices.
The investigations have now been finalised with some still awaiting the outcome of their VCAT hearing.
Six practitioners have already been cautioned and six have conditions imposed on their registrations.
Physiotherapy board of Australia chair Kim Gibson said Ms Wilson's resulting disqualification was not as lengthy as the board felt "was warranted".
"[It] hopefully supports the healing of those families who tragically lost babies," Ms Gibson said.
AHPRA chief executive Martin Fletcher also commented on the outcome of the VCAT hearing.
"While this outcome may bring little comfort to those families affected by the tragic deaths of babies at Bacchus Marsh, we hope that it does help ensure that babies and families will be safer in the future," Mr Fletcher said.
