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Admission to hospital

Posted By aprilbb66

"Admission to hospital"

About: Carnarvon Hospital

(as a parent/guardian),

My child was admitted after having stood on a stone fish or sea urchin or cone shell.

To state that they were in extreme, agonising pain day after day is an understatement. Their condition didn't get any better after 4 days where my child, their spouse and I knew something was seriously wrong. Also, two doctors and the nurses that treated my child agreed.

I believe there was one doctor who didn't feel my child qualified for the Royal Flying Doctors Service (RFDS) to Perth. They said that we poked around at the wound and found nothing.

In the meantime, my child was still going through extreme, agonising ongoing pain. They have had a stroke in the past and heart issues. Our concern regarding them possibly having another stroke after being bedridden for so many days was high!

Apparently there is no MRI in Carnarvon. There is one in Geraldton! Why wasn't my child sent by ambulance or RFDS to Geraldton for a MRI?

Eventually, I think it was day five, my child was sent by RFDS to another hospital where three surgeons I believe didn't want to operate (I think due to high risk to nerves). My child was then transferred to another hospital where they were apparently told the butchered job on their foot from a Carnarvon doctor was appalling.

On day eight, my child had surgery. I believe all details above are to be correct and true. I feel an investigation into this should be done.

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Responses

Response from Liz Kelly, A/Coordinator Executive Services, WA Country Health Service Midwest 4 years ago
Liz Kelly
A/Coordinator Executive Services,
WA Country Health Service Midwest

Submitted on 29/10/2019 at 2:45 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 2:46 PM

picture of Liz Kelly

Dear aprilbb66,

I was very concerned to read your story describing the care your child experienced at Carnarvon Hospital, and would like to apologise that this did not meet their needs and caused additional distress for you and your family in what must have been a very stressful time. The care described is not reflective of our high standards nor demonstrates our values of compassion and integrity, where we aim to bring honesty, collaboration and professionalism to everything that we do.

I have discussed your complaint with Basil Paulose, A/Operations Manager, Gascoyne and Dr Allan Pelkowitz, Regional Medical Director to begin investigating and addressing the issues raised in your letter about appropriately escalating care, managing pain and patient transfers. We would like the opportunity to discuss the issues raised in your story further, however to do this we need you to make contact with us. If you would like to do this, please contact Basil Paulose, A/Operations Manager, Gascoyne on 9956 0301 or email basil.paulose@health.wa.gov.au. You can also contact me on 9956 2291 or email liz.kelly@health.wa.gov.au. Your call would be greatly appreciated and would allow us to better address the issues you have raised.

Please be assured we value feedback and are committed to continually improving the care we provide. I look forward to Basil or I hearing from you and hope your child is beginning to feel better and is on their way to a full recovery.

Regards

Liz

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