A Mackay Base Hospital doctor has resigned five months after he was suspended ahead of an external investigation into complaints from women who claim to have had complications after caesarean births.
The doctor was suspended in October, pending the outcome of an independent review into concerns regarding adverse maternity and gynaecological outcomes at the hospital.
In an email to staff last week, obtained by the ABC, the hospital's acting Chief Medical Officer David Farlow announced the doctor's resignation.
"A permanent recruitment process will commence over the coming weeks," Dr Farlow said.
Mackay Hospital and Health Service chief executive Lisa Davies Jones ordered the ongoing review into maternity services at the hospital after being approached by patient advocate Beryl Crosby regarding concerns about complication rates.
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists suspended the hospital's authorisation to train registrars in the specialty six months ago — before the announcement of the review.
The review, which began on November 1, is investigating Mackay Base Hospital maternity and gynaecological outcomes between July 1, 2019 and October 31, 2021.
It will examine the safety and quality of the services provided, including complication rates.
Since the review was ordered, the ABC has spoken to more than half a dozen women who have described complications following obstetric and gynaecological surgery at the hospital, including cut bladders and ureters.
Although there are known complications of surgery, obstetricians say if a doctor's error rate is "higher than accepted" it should be investigated.
No formal findings against the doctor at the Mackay Base Hospital have been made to date.
Two Sunshine Coast University Hospital obstetrician/gynaecologists have been appointed to lead the review – Ted Weaver and Gregory Duncombe.
Dr Weaver is a professor in obstetrics and gynaecology at both the University of Queensland and Griffith University.
He co-chairs the Queensland Maternal and Perinatal Quality Council.
Dr Duncombe, who also works at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, is an associate professor with the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research.
Griffith University Professor of Midwifery Mary Sidebotham, and consumer representative Leah Hardyman were also appointed to the review, which is yet to report back to the hospital's chief executive, Lisa Davies Jones.
