Her placenta was covering the opening of her cervix (placenta preavia). She needed an emergency caesarean. Ms McCrank said she waited on a gurney outside the doors of the operating theatre for over an hour. Doctors and nurses were frantically trying to source the blood and equipment they would need to operate safely. The process should have taken 15 minutes. “There was so much confusion. It was just chaos," one of the staff members told The Sun-Herald on condition of anonymity.

Astrid McCrank with her baby daughter Lillie. Credit:Kate Aubusson “They didn’t know if or how the blood was coming from the blood bank or who needed to get it," another staff member said. Staff involved in the case said it was the most stressful conditions they had worked under. "It could have been a disaster," said another staff member familiar with the case. Once the surgery began Ms McCrank’s care was not compromised, several staff members confirmed.

She gave birth to her daughter Lillie. But staff are still shaken by the events that transpired once she was transferred to ICU. Unconscious and on a ventilator, Ms McCrank’s airways were compromised. Her oxygen levels dropped dangerously low and she turned blue, staff said. The most senior doctor on duty in the ICU was a junior medical officer [JMO] who was not confident dealing with airways emergencies, the Herald understands.

Loading An anaesthetist had to intervene to save Ms McCrank’s life. "It was absolutely life threatening," one staff member said. Several staff believe systemic failures ,including poor rostering, were responsible. They stressed it was not the fault of the JMO. Another pregnant woman with a similar presentation was transferred to Royal North Shore Hospital because Northern Beaches staff were not confident that they could safely treat this patient, the Herald has been told.

“Tell us again that there were just 'teething problems' and 'hiccups'," said one staff member referring to comments made by health minister Brad Hazzard and Premier Gladys Berejiklian. At the hospital’s official ribbon-cutting on Monday, the chairman of NBH’s medical advisory committee, Dr Stuart Pincott, said none of the hospital’s problems had compromised patient care. Health minister Brad Hazzard and Premier Gladys Berejiklian at the opening of Northern Beaches Hospital. Credit:Brook Mitchell Staff say the circumstances warrant a full review of the case. Mrs McCrank was discharged on 12 November without discharge papers and has met with a senior staff member last week who listened to her concerns and apologised profusely on behalf of the hospital.

Loading But the new mother said she was not informed of the potentially life-threatening circumstances of her case. The 28-year-old said she knew there were issues such as sourcing blood before her caesarean, a nurse tripping over her catheter, staffing shortage and shortages of supplies like band-aids and paracetamol, but she did not know about the life-threatening incident in the ICU. “We didn’t know any of this,” Ms McCrank said. “My discharge papers [which she received last week] don’t tell me anything, from what I can gather.

“I thought it was strange that a lot of staff - more than I thought was normal - kept coming in and saying things like ‘it’s so good to see you’ve bounced back after what you went through’. “It was quite confusing ... I had no idea what they were so concerned about,” she said. The only indication that something went wrong was a comment by a senior clinician, Ms McCrank said. “He said that was a bit of trouble with the breathing equipment. That's it." She said the first day she regained consciousness staff kept asking her what she remembered.

Loading “They gave me a print-out about traumatic experiences but I didn’t know why. I obviously didn’t think this is what all caesarean patients get.” Ms McCrank wants the hospital to review her case. “It would give me and my husband peace of mind to know exactly what went on,” she said. In a statement a spokesman for the hospital commended its skilled team for ensuring the safe delivery of the family’s baby and its ongoing care.

“Our senior nursing staff have been speaking to them about these issues since late last week and met them to ensure all their concerns are heard and addressed – which includes a thorough review, feedback to staff and follow up care,” the spokesman said. The new Northern Beaches Hospital in Frenchs Forest. Credit:Nick Moir “We regret the family has been unhappy with some aspects of their care, and will continue to work with them to understand and address their concerns,” the statement read. But the 488-bed facility has been marred by chronic understaffing and shortages of vital drugs and medical supplies such as insulin, adrenalin, IV lines, wheelchairs and body bags. On Tuesday the Herald revealed anaesthetists threatened to cancel elective surgery and the Medical Staff Council had called a crisis meeting over concerns for patient and staff safety within hours of the public-private hospital’s official opening.

The NBH CEO Deborah Latta resigned on Wednesday hours before senior doctors unanimously passed a vote of no confidence in their medical director Louise Messara. Louise Messara is the medical director at the Northern Beaches Hospital. Credit:Fairfax Media Several doctors who attended the meeting said it was a turning point. They were impressed with Healthscope’s new chief medical officer and believed the organisation had listened to their concerns and would address them. "There are still problems but they are getting better and better daily," one clinician said. "We want this place to succeed. We want to be associated with a world-class service."