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Not being listened to, and Dr not contacting someone who has...

Posted By pegasusnm46

"Not being listened to, and Dr not contacting someone who has the knowledge"

About: Swan Hill District Hospital / Emergency Department

(as the patient),

I presented at Swan Hill ED a while ago after having had a bad interaction with the medication I am on.  I had one Ed DR, while looking at their phone, telling me while reading, that there was not a good reason to be on the medication.  This med is a last of the line drug and has many interactions with drugs and food.  It is an old antidepressant that you get to try when all else fails. 

I asked the doctor to leave as they weren't listening to what I was explaining to them.  I felt they did not have any knowledge of the drug.  This was not the first time.  When I have been unwell and having to present to ED, I have been told I am depressed and the med is also blamed.  However, I am not sure any doctor actually made an attempt to contact someone who had knowledge of the drug. 

At times when severe pain, I was told, panadol, nurofen.  I have found recently that there are strong pain meds that I have been given that do not react with this drug.  Why doesn't anyone try to contact someone who has the info.  I am so put off by the ED department because of what I feel is the quick judgement, and having to end up trying to find someone who can listen.  And not blame what is there.  This is not a one off.

Based on my experience, this not somewhere I want to go if I need any help.

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Responses

Response from Chloe Keogh, Interim CEO, Executive Offices, Swan Hill District Health 2 weeks ago
Chloe Keogh
Interim CEO, Executive Offices,
Swan Hill District Health

Overall responsibility for the running of the health service, reports to the Board of Management. Interim for 7 months while they recruit permanently to the CEO role.

Submitted on 12/06/2025 at 1:19 PM
Published on Care Opinion Australia at 2:36 PM

picture of Chloe Keogh

Dear pegasusnm46,

Thank you for telling us your experience on this more recent and previous occasions. It is really disappointing that you didn't feel listened to, and didn't feel like your situation was fully understood.

I gather from what you have revealed that your presentation was complex, and that your medications are unusual and have interactions with food and other medications. Our Emergency team do their best to understand each persons presenting situation and how best to treat and support their needs. I am sorry that we were not able to help you get pain relief and comfort. I am also sorry that you didn't feel heard.

Pain management is a very complex area of medicine and I encourage you to work through times when you have acute pain on top of your chronic pain or unexpected pain episodes with your GP so that you have a back up plan in place. These are discussions that are best had with a GP who has your medical history in front of them and all up to date - a conversation best had at your regular GP clinic where they would keep all the information no matter which GP you have seen last. I appreciate that it can be difficult to get appointments at the GP clinic, however please reach out to the practice manager SHellsten@shdh.org.au so that she can ensure you have an appointment to have this discussion. This will then support you when you get unexpected or acute pain, and maybe a referral to a pain clinic for specialist input.

All Doctors are restricted in what medications they can prescribe for pain relief, and even through you may know what has worked for you in the past, they are risking their registration if they break the rules that have been put around these prescribing situations.

Again, I thank you for reaching out and explaining your story, I encourage you to follow up with our practice manager for a GP clinic appointment- if your GP is local here to Swan Hill, and if you live elsewhere I encourage you to follow up with your local GP clinic.

Kind Regards

Chloe

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