"Wait times and lack of treatment after brief assessment"

This has occurred many times. Being a small rural town it is sometimes difficult to get in to see our regular gp as they are all filled up for at least the next 2 days, so have to go to Charters Towers Hospital. I have personally been there numerous times and have seen and been treated really well by most of the doctors there. One particular clinician is, in my opinion, really lazy, useless and unprofessional. I believe they don't have a real degree with the way they behave and their lack of assessment and treatment.

One day I couldn't breathe and was placed on the bed they came in and put a stethoscope on my back for what felt like 1 second, then as I recalled, they told me not to breathe like that as nothing's wrong with me. They then contacted MHS (as I have MH illness). The next day I went to the respiratory clinic and they said my lungs were so congested and started me on antibiotics.

I got the same doctor bout a month ago, I had a throat infection and needed antibiotics after waiting 3hrs I was finally seen by them it took them 5secs I believe, to look in my throat and say antibiotics weren't needed and go home. 2 days later I managed to see my gp who prescribed them straight away stating the hospital doctor should have started them.

Now for the most recent event. My young child has been having high temps (highest 39.9 degrees), very sore throat that is travelling up their jaw and up into their ears, also has a sore neck. I give them panadol and neurofen alternating throughout the day (did the day before also). My child's temps go back up after 3hrs since the last dose. They have a history of convulsions when their temp gets really high. As their temp was getting worse I told my spouse to take them to the hospital to get assessed and antibiotics. When they got there in the afternoon they did my child's obs and their temp was 38 (I had given them panadol an hour before) they were told to wait in the waiting room. They were there for 2hrs. During that time, I believe a nurse came out to check temp 38.5. My spouse asked for them to give my child neurofen (last given at midday) to which they, as  I understand it, rudely said that it can't be given as was to close to last dose (my spouse told the nurse it was last given at midday). They continued to wait, in the meantime, my child's temp was getting higher and they began to get sleepy. I rang to find out if they had been seen and my spouse told me that my child's temp is increasing and they weren't giving them any medication. I told them to come home so that they can get some neurofen, when they got home (5min drive) my child's temp was 39.5 degrees and they were very sleepy. I gave them neurofen and fell asleep.

At the time of writing this, I thought, if my child's temp continues to increase and God forbid they convulse, even if they don't, I am going to ring an ambulance as that seems to be the only way for them to get seen quickly and treatment started. I might actually just tell the ambulance to take them straight to another hospital as I'm sure they would get treated promptly and properly there. I have heard so many stories about the long wait times, poor assessment and treatment from the hospital from the people who live here, lots of stories, and from my personal experience, it's very scary to know that people aren't getting seen quickly, and being assessed and treated appropriately, I'm surprised there are no deaths. In my opinion, some of the staff (I want to highlight, not all) need to go back to studying and actually learn how to assess and treat patients and if they don't want to be there (like this one clinician comes across as) then leave and give the job to someone who actually gives a damn.