"Absent care"

Admitted to the Alfred Hospital Melbourne due to oil burns to my leg. This was skin grafted in surgery.

All hospital records show I self-discharged from the third floor 9 days later which I believe is untrue. I was left unattended in the social work area of the hospital, near the cafe, about 60 metres from the front door, the day after surgery to re-graft the lower portion of my leg, where the first graft hadn’t taken.

I woke alone in an area I was not familiar with and thought I was lost, fell from the trolley I was left on, and went for a walk, finally realising where I was when I recognised the front door. A staff member then approached me with a wheelchair, I believe they were yelling something about papers, then offered me a lift to the door. I then took a taxi home.

On reading my history there are many notes of me being abusive to staff and wanting to self-discharge, not once did a staff member mention this to my child, they did not ask or tell them anything. The Social Worker stated they thought they could manage it and staff get comfortable in their job with people being abusive and ignore it. They get comfortable, yet I feel people like me die.

I’m opiate sensitive, meaning I should only ever be given a child's dose of any sedative medication to start. My history states I was given, Fentanyl Targin, Pregabalin, Morphine and Ketamine all in adult doses. None of the mentioned medications should be given to me in these doses.

Not one person recognised my escalating behaviour may have been medication-related, or asked my child if this was normal for me. During the surgery, there was a problem with my heart rate and blood pressure, this has never been reported to my treating G.P. Notes state this continued for 6 hours.

During a meeting with the Alfred, I was informed the supposed self-discharge would all be recorded. I have asked to view this. There has been no reply to my request.