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"Emergency /express room experience"

About: Royal North Shore Hospital / Emergency Department Royal North Shore Hospital / ENT

(as the patient),

I was referred by my GP earlier this week to emergency due to my ear that had been blocked for a number of weeks. Despite arriving just after 4pm and being taken into the express holding area, I was not spoken to by a dr until approx more than 3 hours later (after reminding them I had been waiting for 3hrs).

I do understand that my situation was not as pressing as others, however, I felt a check-in to let me know what was happening would have been appreciated. After being seen by a Dr whose name I can provide, I was advised that I should book a hearing test the next morning and try to see my GP who could call the ENT registrar as they would be in the clinic that day OR to come back to emergency and wait to be sent up to the clinic. I believe the second part of the recommendation wasn't documented, so when I showed up just after mid-morning the next day, I waited about 2.5 more hours - and was told I needed to go back to my GP and that the ENT consultant/registrar didn't need to see me/that I could get my GP to call them. It seemed strange to me (and also frustrating) that although I was 3 floors away, the registrar would not see me even though I was assured they would be on-site and in the clinic. 

In the end, I was sent home with a prescription for over the counter nasonex - an allergy medication and advised to, as I recalled, blow my nose 5 times a day. I believe the registrar also incorrectly advised that my hearing test results were not that bad - which is not the message I was told from the audiologist. 

In summary, I believe the emergency room staff have little knowledge of inner ear problems, didn't document the options advised properly and I believe that the ENT consultant on duty did not carry out sufficient investigations of their own in order to rule out any serious complications. I am of the impression that they prefer to consult in their private rooms in order to bill privately. I am happy to be proven otherwise. I also asked for the name of the registrar on duty and this information was not provided to me - which I believe is within my rights to ask.

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Responses

Response from Care Opinion Australia 2 years ago
Submitted on 23/07/2021 at 12:07 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 12:07 PM


This response has been published by Care Opinion on behalf of Northern Sydney Local Health District:

Dear quebecxp88,

Thank you for writing about Royal North Shore Hospital.

I acknowledge the reasons that prompted you to write and apologise for the inconvenience you have experienced.

Please be assured that Northern Sydney Local Health District expects that all reviews are completed quickly and appropriately when patients present to the emergency department for treatment. I apologise that this was not your experience and I regret that the communication from the medical team was below the hospital's standards.

We would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you. Please contact the Patient and Family Experience Unit, Royal North Shore Hospital at NSLHD-RNSHExperience@health.nsw.gov.au or on 9463 1600.

Thank you again for writing. Patient feedback is vital in ensuring our health services can better support those requiring treatment and care.

Yours sincerely

Deb Willcox

Chief Executive

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