Text size

Theme

Language

"Missing Xray form"

About: Royal Perth Hospital

(as a carer),

I am writing to raise complaint regarding the ongoing difficulty I have experienced in obtaining an X-ray referral for my parent's upcoming follow-up appointment with the Spinal Clinic at Royal Perth Hospital.

Due to the distance we live from the hospital and the issues that occurred during my parent's last appointment, I requested that my elderly parent's next consultation be conducted via telehealth. I was advised that this would be acceptable and that an X-ray referral would be emailed to me so they could have the imaging completed a few days prior to the appointment.

To date, no referral has been received.

I contacted the clinic last Friday to follow this up and was advised that the request could not be located and that I should call back Monday morning. When I called today, I was placed in a queue and advised that I was 63rd in line. As I work full-time and am also responsible for caring for my parent, it is extremely difficult to remain on hold for extended periods of time. I have also left messages and have had to repeatedly explain the situation to the call centre staff, yet the matter remains unresolved.

This situation is very frustrating as my parent's telehealth appointment is scheduled for this Friday, and I am unable to book their X-ray until the referral is provided. The delay is now placing my parent's appointment at risk.

Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from Ben Noteboom, Executive Director, Royal Perth Bentley Group 18 hours ago
Ben Noteboom
Executive Director,
Royal Perth Bentley Group
Submitted on 13/03/2026 at 3:50 PM
Published on Care Opinion Australia at 4:37 PM


picture of Ben Noteboom

Dear cetusns48,

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. I want to sincerely apologise for the stress and frustration you have encountered while trying to obtain your parent’s X-ray referral. I recognise how challenging it can be to coordinate care for an elderly family member, particularly when you are balancing full-time work, caring responsibilities, and the added difficulty of living a distance from the hospital.

It is understandably distressing to find that the referral has not been received and that follow-up attempts have required repeated phone calls and long wait times. This is certainly not the level of service or support Royal Perth Hospital strives to provide.

We have tried to work out if we can locate your parent’s appointment and/or x-ray referral, but have been unable to do so with the information available. I would like to try to resolve this matter as quickly as possible for you. Our Patient Experience team is dedicated to supporting patients and carers. They are well placed to follow this up directly with the clinic on your behalf and help ensure the referral is provided as soon as possible. I would be grateful if you would contact them on (08) 9224 1637 or RPBG.feedback@health.wa.gov.au so they can work with you directly.

I am sorry that this situation has added unnecessary strain during what is already a demanding time. I look forward to supporting you and your parent in moving forward smoothly with their upcoming appointment.

Kind regards,
Ben Noteboom

Executive Director

Royal Perth Bentley Group

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k