A newborn baby has died at Northern Beaches Hospital just days after the grieving parents of two-year-old Joe Massa said he had been ‘systematically’ failed by staff.
A review has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the death of the baby at the hospital in Sydney’s north on Saturday.
It’s understood the newborn died after suffering complications during birth with a ruptured placenta possibly contributing to the infant’s death.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park extended his ‘deepest condolences’ to the parents and said Healthscope and NSW’s Chief Obstetrician are investigating.
Healthscope said the incident was being ‘investigated in line with NSW Health Policy’ but would not provide further comment.
It comes after Joe’s parents, Elouise and Danny Massa, met with Premier Chris Minns to demand answers on why their son was misdiagnosed by hospital staff at the hospital last September.
Joe’s misdiagnosis led to critical delays in treatment, with a report finding his death had been preventable if doctors recognised and responded to his deterioration.
The couple met with Mr Minns, Mr Park and NSW Health secretary Susan Pearce on Wednesday to call for change at the hospital.
A newborn baby has died at Northern Beaches Hospital (pictured) just days after the grieving parents of two-year-old Joe Massa claimed he had been failed by staff
Joe’s parents, Elouise and Danny Massa, met with NSW Premier Chris Minns and NSW Health secretary Susan Pearce on Wednesday to call for change at Northern Beaches Hospital
Joe Massa (pictured) died at Northern Beaches Hospital last September. His devastated parents said the two-year-old’s death was due to systematic failures at the hospital
Ms Massa said many tears were shed during the constructive but positive meeting.
‘They were moved to tears, we were moved to tears… we felt that this journey, which has only been a week long for us in terms of being in the media, has been worth it, worth every single moment of heartache,’ she said.
The Balgowlah couple rushed their ‘bright and loving’ baby boy to the hospital’s emergency department on the morning of September 14.
Joe had spent the night violently vomiting and was suffering a life-threatening condition called hypovolemia after losing too much fluid.
After a series of failures and misdiagnoses, Joe suffered severe and irreversible brain damage and his life support was turned off three days later.
Five months on, the Massas are satisfied that change is on the way across the state, which will be known as Joe’s Rule in honour of their son.
The implementation of Joe’s Rule will enshrine a parent’s right to be heard during the treatment of their children.
