"Demoralising care"

I had the unfortunate experience of having to attend the Esperance emergency twice in the past few days a feat I don’t do lightly. The first day the ED doctor was brilliant, kind, compassionate, caring and thorough. He sent me home with the same advice most give, ‘if your symptoms worsen or you or your family is concerned please return’.

The next day I saw my regular GP who was concerned, gave me antibiotics and again urged me to return it ED if things worsened. By that afternoon, things had taken a turn for the worse, I was concerned and my spouse was concerned. I spoke again with my regular GP who implored me to go to ED. 

My spouse took me up and that is when I had probably the worse experience of my life with medical professionals. The first nurse was amazing, she brought me through immediate and ask the doctor to assess.

This first assessment came about 30minutes later as this doctor was seemingly too busy joking and discussing which beach was the best to swim at, and how to avoid shark attacks. When the doctor finally came their clinical assessment was to look in my ear and tell me the bloods I had done yesterday was reassuring. I felt that they didn’t bother to ask me my concerns, or my spouse's concerns, they seemingly didn’t bother to even do an assessment of any kind.

Told me their diagnosis and ordered medication for me to take without even checking my allergies. I felt that the only good thing they did was reach out to my specialist after my insistence, of which they failed to tell me the specialists advice. 

I was left feeling demoralised, unheard, deflated and most of all angry. I unfortunately have an extensive complex medical history which I believe was not even taken into consideration. 

The final blow to this demoralising experience was their final words, ‘if you have any further concerns don’t hesitate to come back’. 

Let me assure you I will not be going back, I would rather drive the 700 kms to Perth than ever step foot in that Emergency department again. 

And before you reply that I could have evoked ashwariyas call, my spouse and I thought of that what’s the point? It was obvious that I had concerns, and I feel like nobody listened