Annastacia Palaszczuk speaks for the first time about the poignant moment when she suffered a miscarriage and then went to work – the prime minister faces questions about a young woman’s horrific hospital ordeal
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Annastacia Palaszczuk has revealed the very painful details of her own miscarriage as she reacted to a Queensland woman’s horrific hospital experience.
The Premier of Queensland spoke of the poignant moment she had a miscarriage during questioning about allegations, a woman was traumatized by the treatment she received at Ipswich hospital following a painful miscarriage.
Ms Palaszczuk told the Today Show she “knew exactly what it’s like” when questioned about why the mother-to-be reportedly had to wait for hours as she bled and clung to her fetus in a biohazard food bag at the hospital west from Brisbane.
A full review of Nikkoke Southwell’s treatment at the hospital has now been ordered.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured) has opened up about her own miscarriage and how she went straight to work after losing her own child
“I’ve had a miscarriage too… I know exactly what it’s like,” she said.
“It’s horrible and will stay with you for the rest of your life.
“I had it in the house and I went to work, I was totally in shock and then I thought I better see my specialist and he said ‘I don’t think you should be at work, you should be at home’ .’
The prime minister said the miscarriage happened before she was a politician, but knows how traumatic the experience was and says she will take a personal interest in the case.
“I’m a Premier of Queensland and I’m a woman too – it’s a traumatic time and so often we focus on the woman having the baby, not the person who lost the baby,” she said.
“Honestly, if the person presents to our hospitals in this condition, people need to recognize this and they need to take care of the person and give her the very best care, so I really feel for this lady.
“As I said, I will have a personal interest in this.”
The personal disclosure came after the state government ordered a full internal review of Ipswich Hospital after a woman’s horrific miscarriage sparked an investigation.
Nikkole Southwell (pictured) lost her child in April, claiming paramedics put the fetus in a biohazard bag she kept in the waiting room at Ipswich Hospital
The state government ordered a full Ipswich Hospital internal investigation after Ms Southwell, who was 12 weeks pregnant, lost her child in April.
The Fernvale woman claimed that paramedics placed her fetus in a biohazard bag on the way to Ipswich Hospital and when she arrived, had to keep the bag of sheets wrapped around her waist in the waiting room of Ipswich Hospital.
Ms Southwell also claims she was treated on a hospital bed covered in another patient’s blood The staff used her partner’s phone lamp to examine her before she was fired.
“I lost my baby and my dignity was taken away,” she said The courier mail.
“I felt like my baby meant nothing while he sat on top of my purse in a biohazard food bag for everyone to see.”
Ms Southwell’s treatment at Ipswich Hospital is now under review, with Health Secretary Shannon Fentiman receiving the recommendations.
Ms Fentiman spoke of a ‘heartbreaking situation’.
“I would like to express my deepest condolences to Mrs Southwell and her family,” she said.
“A review is underway and I look forward to seeing all the recommendations from the review.
‘Women’s health is one of my top priorities and I want to ensure that women across Queensland have access to appropriate and compassionate care.’
Ms Southwell claims staff at Ipswich Hospital (pictured) failed to give her adequate aftercare, saying she lost her baby and her dignity during the experience