"Failure to carry out required tests"

I recently slipped and fell landing on my back, in extreme pain my partner took me to a hospital emergency ward. The doctor and nurses there were great dealing with the extreme pain I was in, the Doctor then advised me that they were sending me to Albany Health Campus for X-rays and a CT scan to rule out spinal damage or bone breaks due to the level of pain I was in.

I was transported to Albany Campus by ambulance with the crew taking the utmost care not to exacerbate any potential injuries.

On arrival at the Albany Campus emergency department I was inspected and tested for any possible breaks or spinal damage, with nothing outwardly found it was decided to take X-rays to rule out bone breaks, none were found.

I was then expecting a have a CT scan as the Doctor from the original hospital had indicated but the scan was not forthcoming. Then despite being in extreme pain, I was given 2 kinds of pain killers and discharged with the Albany doctor saying my pain was just due to bruising.

I then continued with my holiday for a further 6 days in terrible pain believing it to be the result of bruising before driving 9 hours to return to my home town.

Upon arrival home, I visited my regular doctor and told them what had happened and I didn't feel right. They duly sent me off for the CT scan I apparently should have had at Albany Hospital, only for them to contact me two hours later to tell me to get to the hospital for an immediate assessment as I had 4 fractured vertebrae in my spine.

When I think back at what I had been doing for the last 6 days, bushwalking, climbing stairs, handling luggage and packing the car I shudder to think what might have happened.

I am still in pain but I believe I was very fortunate that I didn't do more damage to my spine or even cripple myself all because of, what I felt was a poor choice by a doctor in Albany not to bother doing a 5 minute CT scan.