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"Transit lounge discharge"

About: Royal Perth Hospital / Transit Lounge

(as the patient),

I had surgery on my cervical spine 18 months ago . I felt my surgeon was brilliant, as were the staff in intensive care and then the staff on the surgical ward . Couldn’t fault their care . 

My story is regarding discharge and the transit ward . 

I was sent to the transit lounge to await my pain medications from pharmacy. Up until discharge I had been on a self administered pump for pain relief . 

After waiting in the lounge for 2 hrs I was finally given my discharge pack and information, however there were no scripts for pain meds. 

I questioned the doctor there and was told that there were no pain meds supplied for discharge. 

I was already in a lot of pain and requested pain relief while I was waiting. After bursting into tears I was finally given very mild pain relief. 

My spouse came in to collect me and was horrified that I was being sent home on a Friday afternoon with no pain relief. 

Eventually and another hour later I was give a script for 3 tablets ! 

No where near enough to get me thru the weekend . 

I could not believe that this was happening. After such caring and professional approach to my needs in ICU and on the ward, I felt the attitude of the staff in the transit lounge was appalling . 

The worst part was that I had officially been discharged from the ward so could not return there to have my pain addressed . 

I felt extremely anxious going home after major surgery with nothing to help manage the pain . 

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Responses

Response from Ben Noteboom, Executive Director, Royal Perth Bentley Group last month
Ben Noteboom
Executive Director,
Royal Perth Bentley Group
Submitted on 15/09/2025 at 11:42 AM
Published on Care Opinion Australia at 4:29 PM


picture of Ben Noteboom

Dear couragenz99

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. I am pleased to hear that your surgery went well and that your surgeon provided exceptional care. It is also heartening to know that the staff in our Intensive Care Unit and Surgical Wards delivered such high-quality support. That is the standard of care we strive to offer every patient.

I was sorry to learn that you encountered difficulties in the Transit Lounge when arranging your discharge medication. To clarify, the responsibility for providing discharge prescriptions lies with the treating surgical teams. While the Transit Lounge nursing staff cannot prescribe medications, they are available to advocate on behalf of patients and escalate concerns where needed. As the Lounge does not have its own medical staff, all clinical decisions including medication are made by the surgical/medical team prior to discharge.

We sincerely apologise for any miscommunication or distress this may have caused. Your feedback has been shared directly with senior staff and will be used to reinforce the importance of clear communication and patient advocacy during discharge planning.

If you would like to discuss your concerns further, please do not hesitate to contact our Patient Experience Department on (08) 9224 1637 or via email at rpbg.feedback@health.wa.gov.au.

Kind Regards

Ben Noteboom

Executive Director, Royal Perth Bentley Group

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