Medical staff ‘really stressed’ as Starship hospital’s security ramps up for Baby W

A mother whose son had an operation on the same day as Baby W is fuming the level of security at Auckland’s Starship children’s hospital has been beefed up to “unreasonable” levels because of anti-vaxxers.

The woman, who doesn’t want to be identified, said the hospital had gone from one guard at the entrance monitoring people to ensure they were wearing masks to four. There were also two guards at the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).

The woman’s son has been diagnosed with a terminal heart condition. She told the Herald the heart unit had never been guarded previously, even during Covid-19 Level 4.

“There is a guard outside the already locked doors, you have to be verified and let through every time you go in or out. There is also another guard on the ward, halfway down the hallway, to stop people getting close to Baby W, the child at the centre of this drama,” the mother said.

Last week a judge ordered the parents of a baby boy known as “Baby W,” who needs life-saving heart surgery, to stop blocking doctors from carrying out the operation. The parents had objected as they did not want their child receiving blood from people vaccinated against Covid-19.

Justice Ian Gault made an emergency order after the baby’s parents allegedly told the doctors trying to prepare the baby for surgery, “You touch our child and we will press criminal charges against you.”

The judge said Te Toka Tumai-Auckland Health sought an urgent court order clarifying “that the police are entitled to use reasonable force to remove Baby W from the parents and/or remove the parents in order to facilitate the steps necessary prior to Baby W’s surgery, including taking him to surgery when it occurs.

The operation was carried out successfully and the baby is now recovering in hospital.

The mother whose child is also receiving care at Starship told the Herald she was relieved that anti-vaccine mandate protesters had been forbidden to enter hospital grounds or come anywhere near entrances to the hospital wards.

“Patients are so vulnerable to Covid and these anti-vaxxers have been sneaking in and putting lots of children suffering from heart conditions at risk. At no time has security ever been needed like this,” the mother said.

“A really safe space for sick and dying children has been grossly invaded. It’s our one place of refuge from a terminal illness.”

The mother said Baby W and his family were in a room which was designed for two patients and families.

“The family have been given a double room to themselves, which is such a luxury. A room that would otherwise be used for children coming in for surgery and staying short-term.

“Those procedures get delayed because there is less space available on the ward.

“Giving Baby W a regular room would mean exposing more patients to the parents’ dramatic and potentially infectious guests and actions.”

Baby W with his mother outside Auckland High Court. Photo / Alex Burton

She said families needed to be masked and tested on the ward and individuals refusing to comply with the requirements - “especially with their unmasked anti-vaxxer mates sneaking in” - were increasing the risk to other patients.

“When nurses have to be in full PPE to see a particular patient or family that isn’t Covid safe, it slows down care for everyone. The nurses have been really stressed. Guarded patients are rare,” the mother said.

Protesters have started to arrive for the vigil at Auckland City Hospital and the neighbouring Starship, with the baby’s heart surgery planned for today. Photo / Michael Craig

The lawyer for Baby W’s parents, Sue Grey, said they were all relieved that Baby W had moved out of PICU and was recovering as well as can be expected.

“His parents are with him around the clock,” she said.

A spokesperson from Te Whatu Ora Te Toka Tumai - Auckland said they could not comment on specific details of individual patient care or provide clinical status updates for ethical and privacy reasons.

“Our hospitals are very busy, which is not unexpected in the lead-up to Christmas, with large numbers of patients, as well as staff leave and illness.

“Our kaimahi [staff] are doing an amazing job caring for our patients and whānau, and are following normal clinical pathways and prioritisation procedures.

“We work directly with whānau to accommodate their needs, and help provide the best possible care for their tamariki. We encourage them to talk directly with our teams if they have concerns.”

The spokesperson confirmed the hospital had stepped up security over the past week or so to maintain safety and ensure clinical teams could continue to focus on providing care to patients, while also facilitating whānau with visiting their loved ones.

“This has been in response to the high-profile nature of this case, which has resulted in significant interest from the public, including some gatherings outside the hospital.

“Patient admissions and discharges from wards have not been impacted, and our kaimahi are continuing to do a fantastic job caring for our patients and their whānau.”

Anti-vaccination protestors, Lawyer Sue Grey along with Baby W's family and former newsreader-turned-conspiracist Liz Gunn outside the Auckland High Court. Photo / Alex Burton

Police had to uplift the gravely ill baby last Thursday night so he could be prepared for his surgery after his parents objected to doctors’ and officers’ attempts to carry out the operation.

Protesters gathered outside in support of the parents in what has become a cause celebre of the anti-vaccine movement.

Auckland health authorities confirmed they trespassed one person from hospital facilities during the standoff.

Crowd gather at Auckland High Court to support Waikato couple who refuse to use vaccinated blood to be used for their baby's heart surgery. Photo / Alex Burton

Last Wednesday, Justice Gault ruled in favour of health authorities who had sought court guardianship of the baby boy, who has automatic name suppression.

Justice Gault delivered his ruling after a lengthy hearing last Tuesday, where Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand and Grey locked horns in the High Court at Auckland as anti-vax protesters gathered outside.

Justice Gault had ordered the baby to be placed under the guardianship of the High Court “from the date of the order until completion of his surgery and post-operative recovery to address obstruction to the outflow tract of his right ventricle and at latest until January 31, 2023″.

The parents wanted the child to receive blood from exclusively unvaccinated donors. They appeared on right-wing conspiracist Alex Jones’ Infowars podcast expressing their outrage at the court’s decision kast week.

Footage of police intervening to allow the baby to prepare for his surgery shows an officer explaining to the parents the baby needed the procedure as soon as possible, as another walked towards the baby to take him.

The mother, who appeared to be crying, said to the officers, “please stop”, the father then stepped in and called the officers “criminals”.

“You guys are criminals, you are criminals, you are conducting a criminal act here,” the father said.