Health Minister Dave Chomiak confirmed that an offer had been made but said he would not provide any figures until he had met with the parents Friday night. Ten deaths might have been prevented with better treatment or by sending children to other provinces. In one case not enough information was provided for Sinclair to make a decision. The infant heart surgery program took cases beyond the skill of the surgeon and the team. Nurses warnings about problems were ignored.
Parents didn t get the information they needed to provide proper informed consent.
The Health Sciences Centre didn t check the references of the surgeon it had recruited for the program, Dr. Jonah Odim. Poor planning and a lack of proper communication between senior medical staff at the hospital left a relatively inexperienced surgeon in over his head and on his own. But Tena said the offer was presented on a non-negotiable basis and the parents were told if they want more, they can expect a lengthy court battle. The offer is also said not to include any admission of responsibility. The families have the ability to launch civil suits and at least three lawsuits are still pending.