The Queensland Health Minister has ordered two separate investigations into an incident where a full-term pregnant woman, lost her unborn child.

The woman was in labour for nearly a week and repeatedly turned away by the Rockhampton Hospital.

Kate Fallis reports.

TRANSCRIPT:

The pregnancy had been problem free.

Emma Green went to hospital on her due date to induce her baby.

She was sent home when this proved ineffective.

When she started having contractions four days later she returned to the hospital.

Jane Green, Emma Green’s Mother: “And they just sent her away. No one even checked her. A nurse, a doctor, or nothing. They were told to go away because they were busy.”

After experiencing contractions every eight minutes over the weekend Ms Green went back, only to be sent home again.

The following morning, her baby stopped kicking.

Again, the hospital told her to come back later that afternoon.

By the time she had the scan, it was too late.

Last night, Ms Green went to a private hospital; her baby was delivered, stillborn.

Health Minister Lawrence Springborg has ordered an inquiry by the Rockhampton hospital board and a wider probe into public hospital procedures.

He expressed his condolences to Ms Green and her family.

Lawrence Springborg, Qld Health Minister: “Anyone with any ounce of human compassion would understand and feel for the couple.”

“The important thing is to understand though that within Queensland Health we provide millions of occasions of really good service each year, sometimes some things don’t go right.”

Premier Campbell Newman also defended the state’s hospital system.

Campbell Newman, Qld Premier: “Because the performance of our hospitals across this state has dramatically improved, particularly emergency departments and those are facts that have been published.”

Ms Green paid more than seven thousand dollars for the private hospital.

Mr Springborg says his Department may pick up the cost.

Kate Fallis, QUT News.