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Care Opinion

Made to wait outside for Emergency Department

Posted By Hedland_Parent

"Made to wait outside for Emergency Department"

About: Hedland Health Campus / Emergency Department

(as a parent/guardian),

I recently attended the Hedland Health Campus with my baby who was unwell with a fever. Unfortunately, due to COVID restrictions (we answered 'yes' to certain questions), we were not allowed inside and were made to wait outside the Emergency Department until we were seen.

Hedland is quite a warm place and it was very uncomfortable waiting outdoors with a sick baby. To further compound our discomfort, no seating was provided either so we were left standing in the Summer heat.

When a nurse eventually came out to see us (there was a family with 2 children plus another 2 separate adults waiting by this stage, 1 on crutches), they took their medical notes on a post-it pad. We were then escorted inside to a separate area and told to take a seat. I'm pretty sure that we had been triaged however I felt communication was hurried and lacking in information.

I feel there has to be a safer, more comfortable way of segregating possible COVID patients for the Emergency Department than making them wait outdoors in the heat without seating. I also think there also has to be more timely and informative communication with these patients too.

The rest of our care through Emergency and our admission to the hospital was amazing and faultless.
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Responses

Response from Louise Steedman, Operations Manager, East Pilbara, WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara 3 years ago
We are preparing to make a change
Louise Steedman
Operations Manager, East Pilbara,
WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara

Manages the operations of health services located in East Pilbara

Submitted on 19/01/2021 at 4:32 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 4:36 PM

Dear Hedland_Parent,

Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback regarding your recent visit to Hedland Health Campus ED. I hope that your baby is recovering well from their recent illness and well on the road to recovery.

I am sorry that you had to wait outside the department to be seen, especially in such hot weather and with minimal communication or explanation as to why this was the case.

We have been reviewing how patients present to ED both with cough and cold symptoms and those who require routine testing. The sudden closure of the Queensland border did have an effect on numbers of patients presenting for COVID tests over the last week and this resulted in limited space within the ED. We are now revisiting our plans and in particular an alternative area to take routine swabs and only use ED for patients who are unwell. This will then ensure that no patients have to wait outside the ED whilst waiting to be triaged and assessed. The new route will be signposted and announced here when it is in place.

Once again I am sorry that this occurred and that staff did not provide any explanation to you. If you would like to discuss this with me further please contact me on 9174 1038 or alternatively Louise.Steedman@health.wa.gov.au

Louise Steedman

East Pilbara Operations Manager

WA Country Health Service

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Update posted by Hedland_Parent (a parent/guardian)

Thank you for taking the time to reply however, two months later, patients are still being made to wait outside for Emergency care.

I attended recently a few hours past midnight on a weekend and also at mid-afeternoon on a weekday with my sick baby and both times was made to wait outside - again.

Emergency was not busy in my opinion, there were no border issues and I believe nor influx of COVID tests needed.

I feel nothing has changed and it is incredibly disappointing.

Response from Louise Steedman, Operations Manager, East Pilbara, WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara 3 years ago
Louise Steedman
Operations Manager, East Pilbara,
WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara

Manages the operations of health services located in East Pilbara

Submitted on 12/03/2021 at 10:50 AM
Published on Care Opinion at 11:09 AM

Dear Hedland_Parent,

Thank you for again reaching out to provide further feedback. I apologise that you are disappointed with our service here at the Health Campus and would like to find out more about your visits to the hospital.

There are times when you will have to wait outside to gain entry to the hospital especially at night when the doors are locked for safety reasons, but not to wait outside to be seen by a doctor. The Concierge service is inside the main foyer Monday to Friday during business hours and if you present with any respiratory symptoms then you are directed to an alternative ED entrance to be taken to a different area of the department to be seen. This is an infection prevention strategy. There have been sub waiting areas developed within the ED to ensure that patients are inside the building once seen by the Triage Nurse.

In order to fully understand what happened when you visited the department and to ensure that our processes are being followed, I would encourage you to contact Simone McKinlay who is the Director of Nursing and Midwifery. Her contact number is 08 9174 1042.

Thank you again for contacting me.

Kind Regards

Louise Steedman

East Pilbara Operations Manager

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