A mother has alleged her newborn baby needed emergency help after being given a life-threatening dose of insulin at a public hospital.
The case was raised in State Parliament by Opposition health spokeswoman Ros Bates, who said the incident happened at the Rockhampton Hospital in central Queensland.
Police are still investigating the case.
"I understand that there was a baby born at the hospital in July last year that was transported to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital with extremely high blood insulin levels," Ms Bates said.
In a letter tabled in Parliament, the mother of the baby said the newborn needed emergency help after "he became floppy, barely responsive … and he failed all of his reflex tests".
The mother's letter said a Brisbane doctor told her that her son's "blood results had come back with an exogenous amount of insulin was [sic] in his system. His blood insulin level was 10370 and the highest they have ever seen was 200".
The mother said she was contacted by police a short time later and advised of an investigation.
"We had just found out that someone had injected our son with unprescribed insulin at Rockhampton Base Hospital," the mother said.
Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service chief executive Steve Williamson revealed an investigation was underway but would not provide other details.
"It wouldn't be appropriate for me to comment on an individual case which is subject to an individual investigation," he said.
'Swept under the rug'
But in her letter, the mother alleged the investigation had stalled.
"I have not been offered any type of support and the hospital, I feel, has swept this under the rug," she wrote.
The Queensland Police Service has been contacted for comment.
In a statement, the local health service said: "Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service has an outstanding patient safety record. The health service, and its staff, are committed to delivering safe services."
