The Departament de Salut is studying imposing sanctions and corrective measures on several healthcare centers for the care provided to the allegedly mistreated baby in Barcelona. The Hospital de Sant Pau appears as the main affected center, while the actions of Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and CAP Roger de Flor are also being analyzed. Hospital del Mar would, in principle, be outside of these measures.
Salut reviews the performance of several centers
The internal review opened by the department points to possible failures in the detection and activation of child violence protocols. The general director of Planning and Health Regulation, Clara Pareja, admits that there were deficiencies at different moments in the care of the minor.
"The system has failed in different aspects. To begin with, there was positive discrimination because the mother was a healthcare worker" - Clara Pareja, general director of Ordenació i Regulació Sanitària
The department considers that the child violence protocol should have been activated already on March 7 at the Sant Joan de Déu Hospital. That day, the baby presented a low-grade fever, hematomas on the genitals and tachycardia, signs that are now considered sufficient to have put in motion the protection circuit.
The protocol was activated days later in Vall d"Hebron
The formal activation of the protocol against child abuse did not arrive until March 16 at Vall d"Hebron Hospital. It was then when injuries and alleged sexual assaults were detected. That step marked a change in the handling of the case and opened the intervention of protection services.
In parallel, Salut analyzes whether it is appropriate to sanction the different care facilities that attended the minor before that moment. The main focus is on Sant Pau, although the review also extends to Sant Joan de Déu and CAP Roger de Flor. In contrast, Hospital del Mar would initially remain outside the measures being studied.
The baby is under the guardianship of the Generalitat
After spending a month admitted to Hospital Vall d"Hebron, the minor is now under the guardianship of the Generalitat and with a foster family. The administrative investigation remains open to clarify what failed in the care chain and determine if there were non-compliances that justify sanctions or corrections in the action protocols.