Substandard and inadequate care led to the deaths of three infants and left women with lifelong physical and emotional injuries after being treated at Queensland's Mackay Base Hospital, a damning report has found.

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath nearly broke down in tears as she revealed the findings of an investigation into Mackay Base Hospital's obstetrics and gynaecology services.

"No family should ever have to experience the devastating loss of a child and certainly not under these circumstances," she said.

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"To all the women and families who have been impacted by these failings, I offer my sincerest, unreserved apology."

Twenty-six women, including the mothers of the three infants, suffered below standard care which led to the harm, D'Ath added.

Those women have been offered compensation.

The report found there were "many examples of care that was below an acceptable standard of care for a Queensland hospital".

Investigators said there were many examples of "substandard clinical care, poor clinical incident monitoring, poor management of safety and quality, complications and clinical deterioration and poor human resource management".

"Systemic failures at all levels throughout the organisation allowed poor practice and bad behaviour to flourish, making O&G (obstetrics and gynaecology) care at Mackay Base Hospital less safe," the report read.

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Women suffer 'lifelong physical and mental harm', report says

D'Ath said over 170 women came forward to detail their experience at the hospital while the investigation interviewed 81.

"Many with difficult tales of things that had gone wrong, and many who have sustained lifelong physical and mental harm," the report detailed.

D'Ath said the women who came forward "shone a light on failings that have been hidden for far too long".

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Staff tried to raise concerns but were dismissed

The report found the staff at the hospital had tried to raise concerns but "were dismissed by senior staff", in particular after October 2020.

"Staff raised issues. Staff were ignored. That, I have serious concerns about," D'Ath said.

D'Ath said the staff who dismissed concerns have been referred to the health ombudsman office.

She added other individuals referred to in the report are no longer employed at the hospital and there has been a change in leadership.

Investigators said they recognised most health professionals want to do the best for their patients however there were collective failings at Mackay Base Hospital, by both staff and leadership.

"They should never forget that the success of an organisation is only made possible by the combined efforts of many, with responsible and responsible leadership from above," the report said.

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'Our health system can and must do better'

Investigators made 120 recommendations and D'Ath said 47 have been implemented.

"We owe it to the women who have come forward as part of this investigation to make improvements to clinical governance here in Mackay and elsewhere across the state," she said.

D'Ath said the report shows the health system broadly in the state "must do better".

The report began on November 1 last year and looked at the maternity and gynaecological departments at the hospital between July 1, 2019 and October 31, 2021.