Teenager with serious brain injuries denied admission at Sydney Children’s Hospital

Scott Baker, a 14-year-old boy who met with a serious brain injury in a skateboard accident, was refused admittance at the Sydney Children’s Hospital because it did not have a bed to accommodate him on Sunday. The teenager was kept in the intensive care unit at Canberra Hospital for four days but the hospital had no specialised staff or services in paediatric neurosurgery.

The boy was admitted to the Canberra hospital with grave injuries and was given the topmost priority there. While he had a craniotomy, in which a part of the skull is removed to expose the brain for surgery, all other surgical procedures at the hospital were put off. Since the hospital was not equipped with paediatric neurosurgery services, it tried to transfer the teenager to the Sydney Children’s Hospital, which has a specialised unit in paediatric acute brain injury services. But the latter refused to admit him as it had no free bed available.

However, after tireless lobbying by his family, arrangements were made to transfer him to Sydney by a helicopter on Thursday, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Jamie Baker, the father of the injured teenager, said he was unsure what implications that accident would have on his son, whose current condition is combined with complications from a previous brain injury at the age of seven. Scott is also reportedly getting seizures.

"We have a very complex child who needs complex care in the right environment and we can't access it," the father told the SMH. "The whole of Canberra Hospital had to close its theatres to treat him. How sick do you have to be to access a public service in your home state?"

A spokesperson for the Sydney Children’s Hospital said since the hospital was already caring for several seriously ill neurological patients, it was unable to admit the teenager.

"SCH receives inter-hospital patient transfer requests on a daily basis, and assesses, triages and admits patients based on their clinical urgency," she said. "This assessment is made in close consultation with the referring hospital's clinical team and is reviewed on a regular basis."

However, according to Australian Medical Association president Brian Owler, Scott’s treatment was possible at the Canberra Hospital since a 14-year-old is physiologically similar to any adult.

Earlier in August, Sydney Children’s Hospital made news over its alarming shortage of nurses at its cancer ward, which raised concerns amongst parents after a child was given a wrong dosage of potassium that could have been fatal, reported the ABC.

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