Royal Children's Hospital Probes Chemical Exposure Risk After Glove Bungle

Royal Children's Hospital officials have confirmed that clinicians at the hospital have been wearing gloves not tested or approved for administering chemotherapy, sparking concerns that some staff may have been exposed to toxic chemicals for up to 10 years.

The sterile gloves provided by the hospital were not rated as protective for handling cytotoxic agents, such as chemotherapy. This prompted the state's workplace regulator to raise the issue in August. While some areas of the hospital had updated to gloves with better protection when international standards for handling the chemicals were updated 10 years ago, other staff, including those in the Kookaburra Cancer Care ward, were still provided with the same gloves.

WorkSafe Victoria notified the hospital about the concern on August 26, prompting an investigation and the replacement of the gloves with those that meet the standard.

Hospital Apologizes, Launches Investigation

In an email to staff, hospital chief executive Peter Steer and executive director of nursing services Kath Riddell apologized and said an investigation was underway.

"The question now is whether the previously used sterile gloves provided enough protection for staff, despite not being tested against the standard," the email said.

The hospital has since hired an independent organization to test and assess the safety of the gloves and investigate the possible exposure risk to staff.

"We also want to acknowledge that concerns about our sterile gloves appear to have been raised many years ago," the email said. "We are reviewing what was raised, how it was handled and why the response differed across areas. "

"We are sorry for the worry this has and will cause. We understand that waiting for answers about possible exposure is especially hard when you have done this work for years."

Staff Concerns and Union Response

A hospital worker, who is not authorized to speak publicly, expressed concern about the issue.

"These drugs can be dangerous. They're toxic, they can affect our fertility and our overall health," the worker said.

"Now I'm left worrying whether I've been exposed, whether my colleagues have been exposed. It's not right."

Maddy Harradence from the Victorian branch of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation said it was "completely unacceptable" for nurses and other healthcare workers to be potentially exposed.

"Our members are very distressed. They're angry, they're disappointed," she said.

Harradence said the union was pushing for the hospital's investigation to uncover the level of risk and potential exposure for staff, while also establishing effective contact tracing of all staff who wore the gloves while working with the drugs.

"It seems to me that there is a variance, particularly in cancer nursing, on when they use certain gloves, who double gloves, who doesn't double glove," Harradence said.

"We actually think the regulator needs to be putting out a safety alert that says this particular glove is not chemo rated and should not be used in these areas."

Broader Investigation

HealthShare Victoria, the body responsible for procurement in Victoria's public health system, is investigating whether the gloves were being used to handle or administer cytotoxic drugs in other hospitals.

A Victorian Health Department spokesperson confirmed they are investigating if other hospitals were also using the gloves not rated for handling chemotherapy.

"We are working with HealthShare Victoria and health services to understand whether this issue extends beyond the Royal Children's Hospital and what further action or guidance may be required," they said.