Hospital CEO has confidence in ophthalmology staff

He's confident about the abilities of staff at Wanganui Hospital's Ophthalmology Department, Whanganui District Health Board chief executive officer Memo Musa says.
He issued a lengthy statement on the subject yesterday: This follows an article in the Wanganui Chronicle on December 18, 2004, instigated by Dr Paul Trownson, who had received treatment in the Ophthalmology Department at Wanganui Hospital. Dr Trownson spoke to the Chronicle about the treatment he had received and about a complaint he had lodged with Wanganui Hospital.
As a result of the article and the continuing publicity it generated, Whanganui District Health Board Chief Executive Officer Memo Musa yesterday gave a public report to the board on how Dr Trownson's complaint was handled after it had been lodged.
Mr Musa confirmed that Dr Trownson had appointments with Wanganui Hospital's Ophthalmology Department on 3 May 2004, 31 May 2004 and 9 August 2004.
Dr Trownson lodged a formal complaint on 7 October in which he stated there had been a misdiagnosis of his eye condition.
Whanganui District Health Board staff contacted Dr Trownson on 8 October and 22 October advising him of the complaints investigation process and the actions being taken to investigate his complaint. Dr Trownson was also advised about his right to seek advocacy and lay a formal complaint with the Health and Disability Commissioner.
During the investigation of the complaint there were at least two telephone calls from management staff to Dr Trownson.
Mr Musa said: "I advised Dr Trownson of the outcome of our investigation on 4 November 2004. Dr Trownson was offered a meeting with the Service Manager or the Head of the Ophthalmology Department so he could discuss matters arising from the investigation. He declined the offer.
"On 16 November I received a letter from the Health and Disability Consumers Advocacy Service's Wanganui office stating that Dr Trownson was not satisfied with the outcome of our investigation and he wanted his complaint re-investigated."
On 17 November Mr Musa advised Dr Trownson and the Health and Disability Consumers Advocacy Service the complaint would be reinvestigated. On 30 November the Customer Relations Officer received a phone call from Dr Trownson regarding the complaint and he also spoke about a Chronicle reporter interviewing him on 1 December.
On 6 December the Chronicle reporter phoned, asking for comment on the Trownson case.
Mr Musa said: "On the same day I advised the Chronicle reporter that I had received a complaint from Mr Trownson expressing dissatisfaction with our initial investigation. The Chronicle was informed that the complaint was being reinvestigated in line with the requirements of the Health and Disability Code of Consumers' Rights 1996 and our complaints process, I declined to comment about Dr Trownson's diagnosis and treatment relating to his complaint, as this matter was being reinvestigated. To do so would have resulted in a breach of the Privacy Act, as I did not have Dr Trownson's permission or consent."
Mr Musa informed the board that the media article and the ensuing correspondence in the Chronicle gave the impression that Dr Trownson's complaint had not been handled well, taken too long to investigate and that we were unwilling to meet with him.
"Our information shows that this is not the case," he said. Mr Musa said it is unfortunate and unsatisfactory that the Chronicle believed that Dr Trownson's account of his treatment and handling of his complaint was newsworthy, knowing that the complaint was being re-investigated. It is unacceptable that the Chronicle knowingly released a one-sided account, without making it clear that a full re-investigation was under way, and until the findings were available, any comment would have been premature and ill-informed.
Mr Musa said such media reports raised concern and anxiety among people in the community, as some may begin to question the integrity of our local health services. They also have a negative impact on staff morale, and affect health professionals who, in good faith, endeavour to provide services of a high standard to our community. Mr Musa informed the board that on 4 February 2005, he and Mr Stegmann, Clinical Director, met with Mr Trownson and his support person.
"We advised Dr Trownson of the outcome of the reinvestigation into his complaint and that this reaffirmed the finding of the original investigation. Dr Trownson did not accept the outcome of this re-investigation.
"The investigations do not support Dr Trownson's allegations that damage was caused during any examination or that diagnoses were missed at the time of those examinations.
"I have every confidence in Mr De Kock's clinical ability and the service delivered by the Ophthalmology Department at Wanganui Hospital," Mr Musa said.
"We have sympathy for Dr Trownson regarding the medical condition that affects his eyesight and we have expressed our sympathy to him."
Mr Musa assured the Board that Whanganui District Health Board's complaints processes and procedures comply with the Health and Disability Code of Consumers' Rights 1996. He advised that the Complaint Policy and investigation process had been reviewed and improved a number of times. He indicated that he will work with key staff to see if the Complaint Policy and investigation process can be further improved, especially in relation to providing support to health professionals.
The Board has asked that the Complaints Policy and Media Strategy be reviewed, which the Chief Executive Officer has agreed to.
During the past three years the ophthalmology department has dealt with 5885 first specialist outpatient appointments and 10,368 follow up appointments and has undertaken a total of 959 elective and acute operations.
During the past three years and up until Dr Trownson's complaint, the organisation had received only two complaints regarding the Ophthalmology Department.