"Wait time for treatment"

I had a serious fall onto my back. An ambulance was called and I was conveyed to BRHS. The trolleys were ramped up and the paramedics were keen to get moving. It would be over an hour for a handover they explained. I consented to being put into a wheelchair and parked in the ED reception area.

In about half an hour a doctor / intern saw me . They said I'd need an x-ray. This was at 4 pm. At 11 pm I appealed to male nurse at the desk for pain relief. They seemed reluctant. I explained I'd had 2 Panadol at 3 pm when the Ambos arrived. They argued with me about the time I had arrived when I said I'd been there since 4 pm.  I rang my partner who doesn't drive. I was distressed. I was the last person in the reception area. Out loud I told my partner that I still had not had an x-ray and that the nurse thinks I'm a melingerer.

Shortly after that call the nurse announced that I would be having an x-ray. At 11.30pm I was given a ct scan.  Half an hour later just before midnight a doctor explained that I had a crush fracture to the L1 vertebra. The good news was that I would not need to be operated on as there was no danger to spinal cord. I was told to rest as best I could. No lifting or lengthy standing.  Take panadol and ibuprofen Visit my doctor. Discharged. I rang my daughter, she drove me home. 

I believe it was obvious that my ct scan has not been ordered. Other people in the waiting area had been x-rayed ahead of me. 

I have been to ED about three times with other people since that time sitting with them while they wait for treatment.

It seems to me that the doctors I've seen on duty are the most inexperienced doctors. In my opinion, it takes time for the doctors I have seen to check their facts before calling in more experienced doctors to attend. Or, they consult remotely with more experienced diagnosticians. This all takes so much time. I watched a registrar spend 45 minutes at a screen trying to get things right to consult with a remote clinician.   I think this is the main reason for bottlenecks and ridiculous wait times in ED at BRHS and perhaps at other emergency departments. 

In my opinion, they need to staff with the best not the least experienced.