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"Right elbow strain that was tennis elbow"

About: Kalgoorlie Health Campus / Emergency Department

(as the patient),

I went the Kalgoorlie Hospital in January after a sharp pain in my right elbow from throwing a rock to the side. The emergency doctor did an x-ray and on finding no bone damage I recall they said it’s just a strain so 7 - 10 days of rest and you’ll be right. I put both hands together in front of me and demonstrated and told them that I had absolutely no power in my hands at all. The doctor said nothing and ushered me out with a first and final certificate. This was a misdiagnosis.

Within 3 weeks I got laid off due to no work, even though I immediately told them that my arm was no good and I would not be able to get a job. My GP ordered an ultrasound and the resulting diagnosis was “Tennis Elbow”. So after much rest, physiotherapy and gym rehab I received a clearance to find another job this month. A strain does not last for 8 months. Not happy at all with the emergency doctor as an x-ray will not show a soft tissue injury, hence the misdiagnosis 

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Responses

Response from Margaret Smillie, A/District Director, Northern Goldfields, WA Country Health Service 5 days ago
Margaret Smillie
A/District Director, Northern Goldfields,
WA Country Health Service
Submitted on 23/09/2026 at 7:02 PM
Published on Care Opinion Australia on 24/09/2026 at 8:47 AM


Dear Anomynous

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. I am sorry to hear that your experience did not meet the standard of care we aim to provide.

We take feedback such as yours very seriously and appreciate you bringing these concerns to our attention. Your experience is important to us, and we would like the opportunity to better understand what occurred. We would be grateful if you could contact us directly, so that we can speak with you personally. This will allow us to follow up with the staff involved, review the circumstances surrounding your care, and ensure that any necessary improvements are made. Can you please contact our Safety and Quality team via email GSEGCG@health.wa.gov.au with your details and they will reach out to you.

Thank you again for sharing your concerns. We are committed to providing safe, respectful, and compassionate care, and we would welcome the opportunity to discuss your experience further.

Kind regards

Margaret Smillie
A/District Director Northern Goldfields

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