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Wait a while in emergency

Posted By PerthX

"Wait a while in emergency"

About: Fiona Stanley Hospital / Emergency Department

(as a relative),

Rushed to The ED at Fiona Stanley Hospital as I believe there was no clinic open at that time. We arrived and I felt it took a while to even be triaged.

My spouse had a deep cut to one of their fingers and they have a blood disorder which prevents clotting, meaning they could bleed on without stopping. We had done a compression before we got there, which I recall the triage officer commended us for.

Understandably, it’s relatively minor compared to other incidents, but I believe we waited for more than 2 hours and sat there along with a whole ED filled with patients including their support (it seemed to me 40-50).

I believe this is a fairly straightforward procedure needing stitches, but I do not believe the hospital is resourced at all. Also, I feel there’s no sympathy and compassion from staff, I think only a few sitting behind the desk.

Worse of all, I recall we had to switch from triage to another officer to link my spouse’s profile. First input couldn’t determine the patient’s history with the hospital’s database. I felt we were asked every single question there could be. In my opinion, a very disjointed system, as my spouse has a medical history with the hospital and was a patient within another department.

I feel the ED was slack.

In my opinion, no urgency whatsoever for the patients. Not us, but I recall we were looking at others with blood all over and groaning in pain.

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Responses

Response from Neil Doverty, Executive Director Fiona Stanley and Fremantle Hospitals Group, South Metropolitan Health Service 2 years ago
Neil Doverty
Executive Director Fiona Stanley and Fremantle Hospitals Group,
South Metropolitan Health Service

Submitted on 15/12/2021 at 7:47 PM
Published on Care Opinion on 16/12/2021 at 10:06 AM

picture of Neil Doverty

Dear PerthX,

Thank you for reaching out via Care Opinion.

I apologise that you felt our staff did not display enough sympathy or compassion towards your spouse. I am also sorry to read that you felt our IT / electronic clinical record system was disjointed, but without your spouse’s details, we are unable to complete a full investigation.

Our staff routinely see between 300 and 400 people every day, 24 hours per day 7 days per week, many with critical life-threatening illnesses and injuries. Our ED is the largest in the state and patients / carers often do not see what is happening behind the waiting room and triage area. I can assure you that it is never quiet, and our staff are far from slack.

You stated that you attended the ED as you believe there was “no clinic open at the time”. For your and other reader’s information, the nearest Urgent Care Clinic to Fiona Stanley Hospital ED is located at Cockburn Gateway Shopping City (816 Beeliar Drive, Success) and is open Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday 8.30 am – 4 pm. I appreciate that you may have visited our ED outside of those hours.

If you would like a full investigation into your spouse’s care to take place, your spouse needs to contact our Patient and Family Liaison Service on 6152 4013 (Monday to Friday 8.30 am – 4.30 pm) who will act on your spouse’s behalf.

I hope your spouse’s finger is healing well.

Kind regards,

Neil Doverty,

Group Executive Director

Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group

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