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Care Opinion

Long waiting time

Posted By castorfc36

"Long waiting time"

About: Northam Health Service / Surgical Services

(as a service user),

I attended the DSU yesterday, where my parent was having cataract surgery. All the staff were efficient and professional. However, in my opinion, the organisation of the surgical list is clearly in need of a revamp.

I left my parent, at the DSU, in the morning half an hour before they were instructed to be there. I was advised my parent would be there for 3-5 hours. I returned about four and a half hours later and my parent had been taken through for their procedure. Unfortunately, I assumed they would have the surgery about an hour after they arrived. 

While I was waiting, I noticed another frail elderly person, wrapped in blankets, sitting in the waiting area. I understand they had been waiting since an hour after my parent had arrived. This leads me to think this is thought of as acceptable practice as it happened to at least 2 people on the list.

I started making enquiries as to why the elderly weren’t in a comfortable chair or on a trolley and why they were in the waiting room for so long.

What I found out, my parent also waited for several hours in the waiting room with no accessible toilet nearby. My parent fasted, apart from sips of water, for about 21 hours. In my opinion, this is not acceptable for an elective surgery and to be kept in a waiting area for hours is not acceptable.

I believe the other elderly person was in the same position, frail, elderly, hungry and thirsty whilst waiting for elective surgery.

I was advised by the staff I would have to take up the issue with the surgeon, as the DSU staff are following the instruction of the surgeon. 

My parent did, in fact, take this up with the surgeon the next day, who apparently said it was ridiculous to keep elderly people waiting so long!

I hope, as a result of this comment, appropriate changes will be made for the benefit of the patient. Thank you.

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Responses

Response from Trenton Greive, Operations Manager Western Wheatbelt, WA Country Health Service - Wheatbelt 3 years ago
We have made a change
Trenton Greive
Operations Manager Western Wheatbelt,
WA Country Health Service - Wheatbelt

Submitted on 9/03/2021 at 6:35 PM
Published on Care Opinion on 10/03/2021 at 10:05 AM

picture of Trenton Greive

Dear castorfc36,

Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback about you and your parent's experience at Northam Hospital. I am sorry for the inconvenience and discomfort caused by the delays and lack of communication to you and your parent.

I am the Operations Manager responsible for Northam Hospital. I have been able to review what happened the day your parent attended Day Surgery and we have started to make changes now to ensure we do better, based on your feedback!

Most patients on the eye surgery list that day, had travelled from communities outside the local area and arrived at the same time, causing a longer wait time than usual. Patients arrival times are normally staggered across the day but on the day your parent attended, the visiting Surgeon scheduled patients at different times to the one allocated by hospital theatre staff. The theatre staff are aware of the issues this scheduling caused, and are reviewing the patient scheduling system, in particular with the eye surgeon to ensure it does not happen again.

The other areas we looked at was time allocated to each patient and information provided pre-surgery. The time frame allocated for each patient is usually 3.5 hours to 5 hours depending on their individual recovery which if met, will not cause issues with the planned fasting each patient has to complete. After each procedure patients are provided with sandwiches and a drink whilst they are being observed in their recovery phase before being safe to leave the hospital. Addressing the scheduling issues should prevent the extended wait time you observed and therefore the time each patient has to go without food.

There are toilet facilities accessible from the waiting room. I am advised however that patients are required to ask for access from the Day Surgery Clerk due to the designed location of these facilities. We have already made a change – now the Clerk in Day Surgery will ensure all patients receive this information on arrival so access to the facilities should be quicker.

Finally, WACHS encourages patients and their families and carers, to interact with surgeons on matters concerning their care and treatment. My expectation is staff facilitate and advocate on patient’s behalf to ensure their comfort and treatment is of the highest quality. I am sorry that for your parent, this did not occur. This has been highlighted to theatre staff – by way of showing compassion which is an integral value for all WACHS staff.

Thank you again for using Care Opinion to tell us about your parent's care and your observations of the Day Surgery at Northam Hospital - your feedback has already ensured improvements are made that will provide a better service to all patients.

Please call me on (08) 9690 1315 should you have any further concerns.

I hope your parent is recovering well.

Best wishes

Trenton Greive

Operations Manager Western Wheatbelt

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