Former patients of a gynaecologist obstetrician, whose time working at a WA hospital is under review, say they have been kept in the dark during an investigation.
WA Country Health Service (WACHS) is reviewing George du Toit's stint at the hospital from 2016 to 2020, after the Queensland Health Ombudsman last year ordered he should not be involved in providing care to women during labour and immediately after birth pending an investigation into surgical outcomes by health authorities there.
Dr du Toit's contract at Albany hospital was not renewed when it ended in 2020 before he moved to Queensland.
He then took up a position at Mackay Base Hospital but resigned last year amid a review into the hospital's obstetrics and gynaecology unit during his time as director.
Dr du Toit's legal team has been contacted but declined to comment.
Former patient Martha Barnard-Rae said she experienced major complications after she underwent surgery with Dr du Toit at Albany Health Campus in 2017.
Ms Barnard-Rae filed a formal complaint with the hospital in October last year after she was made aware that Dr du Toit had been restricted from performing operations in Queensland last year.
"The way I found out was upsetting," she said.
"I only found out by accident which is another slap in the face as far as I'm concerned."
Ms Barnard-Rae said it had been challenging to get any answers and she was told by the hospital she would need to complete a Freedom of Information request to access her complaint report.
"It feels like another way to kick the can down the road, it feels like another way to put it off for six weeks," she said.
"I have been through enough.
"I don't want to have to fight these people to read a report about my care, it just feels really dismissive and obstructionist."
Ms Barnard-Rae said she would like sensitive situations such as hers to be handled better.
"They've said all the right things, they've put things in place, but it's that one-on-one," she said.
"There doesn't seem to be enough consideration for how this affects me."
WA Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said there was little she could say about the review, but WACHS was cooperating with the investigation in Queensland.
When she was asked about women who had told the ABC they were not feeling heard, Ms Sanderson said WACHS had reached out to women who were treated by Dr du Toit.
Former patient Michelle Lott also had surgery performed by Dr du Toit at Albany Health Campus in 2017.
She told the ABC she was only supposed to stay overnight at the hospital after her operation.
However, she said that when she woke, she was told she would need to stay longer due to complications during the surgery.
"At that time, I just took it as 'gee, I was the unfortunate one'," she said.
Ms Lott said she was disappointed by the way the hospital had handled the review.
"I feel that it's the Albany Health Campus," she said.
"For me, that's where most of my anger sits."
Ms Lott said no correspondence had been directed to her and no-one from the hospital had contacted her about her issues.
"It's all been as a result of Mackay's investigation," she said.
"I don't think it's been handled at all.
In a statement, a WACHS spokesperson said: "It would be inappropriate of us to provide comment that may relate to an active investigation."
If you know more about this story you can email reporter Lauren Smith via smith.lauren@abc.net.au.
