Thursday, 12 May 2022

Royal Children’s Hospital

Mr DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan—Leader of the Opposition) (18:21): (1918) My matter for the adjournment tonight is for the attention of the Minister for Health and possibly for referral to the health complaints commissioner. It is a complex story, and there is obviously a very difficult circumstance here with illness. It relates to correspondence I have received from Christina Tutone, who is a resident in my electorate who lives in South Yarra. She has a son, Andrew. He went on a school trip with Trinity Grammar in July 2019 to Beijing. A healthy boy of 14 years old, academically above average, he became gravely sick on the trip to China with an outbreak of flu virus which spread amongst boys and teachers. He ended up in the Beijing United Family Hospital for three weeks in the ICU. The treatment was working, with improvements, and then Andrew was flown back via medevac to Australia and to the care of the Royal Children’s Hospital neurology team. The Royal Children’s stopped the treatment that the Chinese doctors had been using, but they failed to engage with the parents fully. There were no medical tests or assessments undertaken by the Royal Children’s, nor medical intervention. Andrew’s condition significantly worsened, with dire consequences impacting Andrew’s neurological and psychological health, and he was left with ongoing seizures.

This is a very difficult and complex case diagnostically, I have no doubt. A 14-year-old boy becomes sick, with doctors treating him in China; he comes back here, and the experience here is not satisfactory, let me say. The evacuation plan had been worked out. He was given a diagnosis here of functional neurological disorder, stated as a conversion disorder, and he was told it was all in his head. The hospital refused to undertake any comprehensive medical examinations. They continued the nasal swabs. Letters and calls were made to Dr Monique Ryan, the director of neurology, for her to meet with the parents, but they were dismissed. No engagement took place. During this entire period Andrew was continuing to have severe head pain, which had continued since he first became unwell.

Now there is a difficult family situation, with the parents divorced. I am not doubting any of the complexity of this, but ultimately it seems that there is a question about the Royal Children’s Hospital’s approach. It appears to have destroyed the family arrangement, and the refusal to acknowledge any of the input from the Chinese doctors appears unfortunate too. As a direct result of the RCH and the director of neurology Dr Monique Ryan’s refusal to carry out due diligence, the mother believes Andrew has suffered brain trauma, resulting in his life being devastated. A previously strong family unit has been destroyed, and I ask that the health minister investigate this matter to see what, if any, misbehaviour or errors have occurred and refer it to the health complaints commissioner as required.