"I believe a doctor was told that they were in breach for attending to my parent for too long"

We presented at the WACHS in Derby WA seeking help from the triage staff for my elderly parent who had emphysema, irregular heartbeat and suspected chest infection.

Whilst in the triage unit, I found that we were attended to very promptly by the day staff. The Doctor on call was dealing with my parent in an orderly manner. I believe the doctor found it difficult to find a vein to get bloods and also to put a canular in at the same time, I recall this took a few attempts by different staff members and unfortunately, they did not get in. As I understand it, the doctor then requested professional help which was successful. By this time, handover was taking place and the nightshift staff came in whilst the doctor was attending to my parent. After a while, I remember a clinician told the doctor they were in breach of taking too long with one patient and was ordered to hurry up and attend to others who were in the waiting room and then seemingly walked off in a huff. But prior to that, I recall they had informed the night staff that there was only a drunk patient waiting to be attended to which they exclaimed can wait.

So whilst a staff member is preparing my parent for admission and stabilising them for the ward, I watched as another clinician takes the doctor aside, in what seemed to be a pantry room, and has a word with them in private. Then the doctor orders meds for my parent and takes off for dinner.

Several hours later, we are still sitting in the triage bay waiting for a bed for my parent to get admitted. I was then informed that my parent will be taken to the room, however by the time I finished writing this story we were still waiting. I fully understand the process of dealing with patients with multiple illnesses but for my parent to be sitting in triage for over 11 hours I feel is not acceptable when they could be exposed to other viruses which could add problems for their health. I am disgusted in the fact that my parent had to wait for a bed for over 12 hours.

Whilst I was waiting with my parent, I straightened out the curtains and whilst doing that, I recall the same clinician asked if I wanted a broom and mop. I totally disregarded, what I believe was, their smart remark and continued on with making sure my parent was alright. This is only 1 story I have told, in my opinion, there are many more that hasn't been told by others.