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"Treatment of children"

About: St George Hospital

(as a parent/guardian),

I have always taken my child to their doctor's appointments all the time when they need to go and I've never had to miss an appointment. However we did have to miss a couple of eye appointments at the Eye Clinic at St George Hospital due to personal reasons. Recently we had an appointment at the Eye Clinic and I needed to change the time which I was able to do with no problem. My child and I arrived at the Eye Clinic at St George Hospital just after I guess what was their lunch break. We sat and waited for a bit before going in and seeing the first doctor. My child who is very young has been going through the terrible toddler phase lately, but when I took my child to the appointment,me being their mum felt absolutely horrible and upset for the treatment that my child received there.

The first doctor did have to put eye drops in,which I will admit did make my toddler a bit upset and they did cry. Yes I do believe my toddler were crying about the fact they were having eye drops put in, but I think they were really crying because the doctor was prying their eyes open. Okay, yes they needed to be put in and my child did stop crying after - no problem with that, but even still. However the next doctor my child needed to see and keeping in mind my child is a toddler, is why I am writing this complaint.

For all the times I and now my child have needed to go and see a doctor at St George Hospital we have never had a bad experience. But now I think we might reconsider going and might find another place to go. We went and saw this doctor and I understand that it is not easy to be a doctor and having to deal with little kids especially when they don't want to participate which does make things a bit difficult. My child was a bit upset and was crying and did not want to be there. The doctor made me restrain my child, in my opinion like an animal and I feel that is how the doctor treated my child. He made me restrain his legs with mine, restrain his body and restrain his head with my other arm and finally made a nurse pry open my child's eyes so he could have a look.  This happened with both of my child's eyes.

In my opinion, this whole experience was absolutely disgusting and horrible treatment that my child received, I have so much time for doctors especially when dealing with small children but when the doctor treats my child like  what I felt was an animal and makes me restrain them, that's where I draw the line. I can now understand why, especially mothers feel defenseless and freeze when in a situation like this. After the experience I will admit I just broke down in the car and just couldn't stop crying the whole way home. I have never been to medical school or done any medical training but being a mum and a person I don't see why I was not told if I could just make another appointment? If that is the usual experience that my child will receive I will think twice about bringing them back to the Eye clinic at St George Hospital.

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Responses

Response from Pauline Rumma, Director, Clinical Services, Sydney and Sydney Eye Hospital 7 years ago
Pauline Rumma
Director, Clinical Services,
Sydney and Sydney Eye Hospital
Submitted on 8/09/2017 at 8:02 AM
Published on Care Opinion at 9:45 AM


Dear unhappy mummy,

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and concerns on Patient Opinion. I am sorry to hear of your upsetting clinic appointment. I would like our Quality and Safety Manager to review your experience, could you please contact me on this email: SESLHD-ExecutiveServices@health.nsw.gov.au. Of course, I will completely respect your wishes should you choose not to make contact, but please be assured that I would like to follow this up.

Kind regards

Pauline

Director of Clinical Services

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