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"Waiting for three and a half hours for a prescription"

About: Derby Hospital

(as the patient),

I recently arrived at Derby Hospital to see a GP. Got told there was no vacancies until next week. I arrived there at 11.20 am. I am on the hospital records so my history is there and my ID etc. There was one patient waiting to see an emergency department doctor. There were 6 people with appointments to see the GP. After one hour it was myself and the other patient still waiting to see a doctor in the emergency side, as we both couldn't see a GP because they had no vacancies until next week. At about 1 pm the other gentleman was taken in. I was the only person left in the room. At 3 pm I was still the only person there. I saw 2 doctors behind the glass windows casually chatting to each other, one had a coffee cup in his hand. Their body language was casual and expressed no urgency at all. Seeing this I approached the desk and asked if I had been overlooked. I thought it was a fair question after three and a half hours waiting for depression medication. The nurse started, in my opinion, an aggressive rant about the Royal Flying Doctors and other things that were none of my business. It felt very hostile. Not what a mental health patient needs. So after three and a half hours, one and a half on my own I left. Went to the pharmacy like a beggar and within 5 minutes I had the medication I needed. They didn't seem surprised at what I felt was the poor service at the ED. I had been in Derby for a total of 7 hours.

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Responses

Response from Rachele Ferrari, Operations Manager, Broome Hospital, WACHS Kimberley 5 years ago
Rachele Ferrari
Operations Manager, Broome Hospital,
WACHS Kimberley
Submitted on 25/06/2018 at 3:22 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 3:30 PM


picture of Rachele Ferrari

Dear mental health guy,

Thank you for taking the time to provide us with this feedback. I apologise that you waited longer than expected to see a doctor, and that staff behaviour was not of a standard you expect (and we all expect) from the Emergency Department.

Waiting times will vary depending on why you have come to the Emergency Department and I would like to specifically follow up on your wait time and care provided. Our Senior Medical Officer and Clinical Nurse Manager will need some more information from you so they can investigate and provide you with direct feedback.

Dr Bruce Dixon, Senior Medical Officer is very happy to discuss your attendance at Emergency and would appreciate you contacting him either via phone 0477 379 952 or via email wk.smo@health.wa.gov.au, alternatively you can contact myself, on 91933674.

Kind regards

Rachele Ferrari

Operations Manager, DFVHS

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