THE NSW Opposition has called for a “full and independent inquiry” into the death of a John Hunter Hospital patient found in a toilet after being missing for nearly eight hours, claiming "a culture of cover-up and a lack of transparency has overtaken the health system''.
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As three suspended staff members were sacked on Tuesday over the May 12 incident, Opposition health spokesman Walt Secord unleashed on Health Minister Jillian Skinner, accusing her of "hiding behind an army of health bureaucrats rather than taking responsibility for her government's policies''.
The Newcastle Herald revealed on Saturday that John Hunter Hospital authorities failed to conduct a search for the missing woman for nearly eight hours, only to find her dead in a toilet just metres from her bed within minutes of the search getting underway.
Hunter New England Health ordered an internal investigation into the death and suspended three staff members, but has failed to answer any questions about the incident because the patient's family had not given them permission.
Hunter New England Health also failed to answer any questions about protocols within John Hunter Hospital regarding duty of care and missing patients.
The family has told the Herald they were still seeking legal advice and were not in a position to publicly comment.
Mr Secord described the death as a "debacle" and "every family's nightmare as the poor woman was only metres from help''.
He accused the Baird government of failing to fill 43 nursing vacancies across the Hunter New England area to meet budget shortfalls.
"The NSW health and hospital system is so overstretched. This is the human cost of the cuts to the health and hospital system,'' Mr Secord said.
"Furthermore, a culture of cover-up and a lack of transparency has overtaken the health system.
"Rather than worrying about the impact on patients and their families, the Baird government resorts to hiding the real story from the community.''
Mr Secord said the case followed a stroke victim left unconscious on a Royal North Shore Hospital toilet floor for 20 hours last year.
"While the Opposition demands a full and independent inquiry to get to the truth of the matter, this is another example of the lack of staff in the NSW health and hospital system,'' he said.
When asked to comment on the May 12 death, Ms Skinner said three suspended staff members had been sacked on Tuesday "following preliminary findings from the hospital investigation''.
Ms Skinner confirmed that a "full internal investigation'' and a "root cause analysis" were underway to review the death, but did not answer questions about an independent inquiry.
The minister also denied a budget shortfall across the area, stating Hunter New England Health's budget grew 4.2 per cent in the past financial year.
And she said it was "inappropriate" to release details about a patient without family permission.
"NSW Privacy Legislation does not permit disclosure of a person's health information without appropriate consent,'' Ms Skinner said.
"John Hunter Hospital has advised the ward in which the incident occurred was appropriately staffed at the time.”
