"My hospital experience following a fall"

My day began at 8:30 am when I suddenly lost consciousness while having breakfast, fell, and sustained a deep facial wound. After being assessed at Mundaring Urgent Care, I was referred to Midland SJOG Public Hospital Emergency.

Despite arriving with a recent loss of consciousness and an actively bleeding wound, I spent over 4 hours waiting in the general waiting room before receiving treatment, remaining in a wheelchair while my wound continued to bleed.

I have private health insurance, and my family were initially told I would be transferred to a private hospital as soon as possible. That transfer never happened. Instead, I was moved into a hospital corridor, away from my visiting family member, and told I might have to remain there for up to three days until a private bed became available. Staff told me I would simply have to sleep in the corridor.

The environment was distressing. I was placed beside a patient who appeared to have a severe lung infection and, to my knowledge, was not isolated and not wearing a mask. This was particularly frightening because I have a chronic lung condition, having previously had half of my right lung removed. Hospital staff were aware of my medical history, and I was extremely concerned about being placed in close proximity to someone with a serious respiratory illness.

While in the corridor, I was attached to a heart monitor and my partner, who visited later that evening, was instructed not to give me any food because staff said my heart was being monitored. However, we later discovered the monitor had no power source or battery connected, leaving us questioning whether I had been monitored at all while I remained without food.

Although I understand the Emergency Department was under significant pressure, I felt I received only the minimum level of care. My wound was not treated for many hours, and when it finally was, dressings far too small for the injury were applied. The wound continued bleeding through the bandages, and I have been left with a permanent large visible facial scar.

The ordeal lasted from 8:30 am until around midnight. I eventually discharged myself because I had lost confidence in the care I was receiving. The following morning, my GP arranged the scans, referrals and follow-up care that I had expected to receive through the hospital.

One question has continued to trouble me. If the Midland SJOG Emergency Department was so overwhelmed that I was told I could wait in a corridor for up to three days, why wasn’t I offered the option of outpatient management earlier? My GP was able to organise the necessary investigations the next morning. Had this option been discussed sooner, my place could have been made available to another patient requiring emergency care.

I was also left questioning whether my private health insurance influenced decisions about my care. My family had been told I would be transferred to a private hospital, yet I remained waiting for many hours without that occurring. I cannot know why those decisions were made, but the experience left me questioning whether my private health insurance status played a role.

Before this incident, I was working full-time in education. The trauma of this experience and its ongoing physical and psychological effects ultimately led to me losing my job.

My partner also took a week off work to care for me and assist with the medical appointments that followed. Despite multiple requests, Midland SJOG Public Hospital staff would not provide documentation confirming my attendance or condition for their employer, preventing my partner from properly supporting their application for carer’s leave and placing additional stress on our family.

The most distressing event occurred after I left hospital. A nurse in charge of looking after me that night, telephoned me and wrongly accused me of stealing my own discharge paperwork after another staff member had taken it from me to make a copy. During the call, I was threatened that police would be sent to my home if I did not return the documents. Recovering from a concussion, I found this accusation deeply upsetting.

Over a month ago, I lodged a formal complaint directly with Midland SJOG Public Hospital. I have still not received any explanation or response. I have also repeatedly requested a discharge summary or any documentation relating to my admission, but nothing has been provided. My understanding is that the hospital’s position is that I walked out and refused treatment, whereas my experience was that I discharged myself after losing confidence in the care I was receiving after almost 11 hours in the Emergency Department.

I am sharing my experience because I believe patients deserve safe, compassionate and respectful care, regardless of how busy a hospital may be. I hope my experience contributes to meaningful improvements in patient safety, communication and accountability so others do not have to endure a similar experience.