My parent, in their 80s, had been suffering for three months from two leg wounds caused by falling tree branches. The wounds remained unhealed, painful, and inflamed, with persistent throbbing pain and disrupted sleep.
Multiple visits to their GP led to an initial prescription for a topical cream, which worsened the condition. A subsequent biopsy confirmed the presence of Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC), and my parent's GP urgently referred them for surgical intervention at Rockingham Hospital.
Despite the urgency, a week passed without any contact from the hospital. During this time, my parent's symptoms worsened—ongoing pain, signs of infection, fever, a new sore developing on their hand, and severe fatigue. Concerned about a potential systemic infection or the risk of it spreading to the bone, I personally took my parent to Rockingham Hospital Emergency Department.
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Emergency Department Experience:
•Arrival & Initial Triage:
Upon arrival, we were seen by the triage nurse and advised to wait. At that time, there were approximately 50 patients in the waiting area.
•Waiting Time:
The hospital’s own website estimated a 3-hour wait time. However, we waited a total of 9.5 hours, only being seen late in the evening. During this time, I repeatedly inquired about waiting times, but was advised there was no timeframe and we simply had to wait.
•Conditions in the Waiting Room:
From what I saw, the waiting area seemed overcrowded, with many patients in apparently severe conditions also waiting extensive periods. I witnessed:
o A person with ulcers post-coma had been waiting since the morning.
o A child with a bleeding head injury had been waiting since mid-morning.
o A grieving parent suffering from prolonged hemorrhaging and weight loss was, to me, visibly distressed.
o An elderly person with facial lacerations and swelling had been waiting over 6 hours.
o A young child, in my opinion, visibly deteriorating, collapsed after waiting over 4 hours.
•Patient Monitoring:
Nurses began performing basic checks such as blood pressure and placing cannulas, though no further movement occurred for several hours. My paren'ts blood pressure was elevated, and they were finally given ibuprofen and paracetamol after 7 hours of waiting.
•Final Treatment & Outcome:
We were finally seen by Dr. Harry, who was compassionate, respectful, and apologetic for the delay. He conducted a full assessment, diagnosed an infection, and prescribed OxyContin and Celecoxib for pain and inflammation. He also expedited the surgical referral, now expected within 2 weeks.
•Discharge Time:
We left the hospital at almost midnight, after a total of 9.5 hours in the Emergency Department. My parent was not admitted due to lack of available beds.
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Concerns & Feedback:
1.Excessive Wait Times:
A 9.5-hour wait for an elderly patient with a cancer-related wound and infection is, in my opinion, unacceptable, especially when it seems other patients with serious conditions were also left untreated for extended periods.
2.Lack of Communication:
It seemed to me that staff were unable to provide clear updates regarding wait times or bed availability. I believe that transparency could have allowed patients to seek care elsewhere if needed.
3.Overcrowding & Staff Burden:
It was evident to me that the hospital was overwhelmed, with patients resting on corridor floors, visibly distressed individuals left unattended, and clinical staff under immense pressure.
4.Systemic Issues:
I believe this experience is reflective of a broader healthcare system crisis. In my opinion, tax-paying Australians deserve timely and humane medical care. I think that allocation of healthcare funding should prioritize emergency and frontline services to ensure no individual, especially the elderly, is subjected to such conditions.
5.Request for Accountability:
Multiple nurses encouraged us to formally submit a complaint via Care Opinion Australia, I recall, acknowledging the unacceptable nature of the situation.
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Outcome Sought:
•Formal acknowledgement of this incident.
•Assurance that wait time transparency and triage protocols are reviewed.
•Clarity on plans to improve emergency care resourcing.
•An update on the surgical referral and any follow-up care.
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Medications Prescribed:
•OxyContin – for pain management
•Celecoxib – anti-inflammatory
•Advised to return immediately if fever or other symptoms worsen.
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Please consider this report a formal request for review of the circumstances experienced and for improvements in patient care delivery, especially for vulnerable and elderly Australians.
Being given time
Responses
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