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Political opinions by healthcare staff

Posted By indiafn87

"Political opinions by healthcare staff"

About: Royal Perth Hospital / Emergency Department

(as a relative),

Upon being told by an ED staff member that Covid PCR tests were not done 24/7, I asked why, with the emerging community spread? I believe the staff member replied blame the premier.

Then, when I asked if not 24/7 testing, why doesn't the hospital employ Rapid Antigen testing to aid throughput of patients?

I recall the answer by the staff member was because the premier doesn't believe in them.

I felt like I wasn't being respected when making a genuine query. My parent was in ED with a cardiac related symptom, but it seemed to me the Covid investigation took precedence.

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Responses

Response from Grant Waterer, Acting Executive Director, Royal Perth Bentley Group 2 years ago
Grant Waterer
Acting Executive Director,
Royal Perth Bentley Group

Submitted on 9/02/2022 at 2:16 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 3:18 PM

picture of Grant Waterer

Dear indiafn87,

Thank you for taking the time to share your story with us.

It is regrettable a staff member at Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) conveyed their personal opinion while replying to your enquiries when attending the Emergency Department with your parent. This is certainly not the high standard of behaviour from staff RPH expects and strives for, please accept our apology for any distress this may have caused as a result.

Any patient attending the Emergency Department at RPH with suspected COVID 19 are screened with PCR testing and this service is available 24/7. Prior to 31 January 2022 between the hours of midnight and 6am urgent tests were sent to Fiona Stanley Hospital laboratory for processing. I am pleased to advise, RPH is now able to provide PCR tests 24/7 with results processed at a laboratory onsite, this is an example of the planned upscaling of critical services RPH has been successful in implementing to meet the greater needs of the community. The system to commence using Rapid Antigen Tests in Emergency Departments across WA has only recently been implemented and currently in use at RPH.

I sincerely apologise that this information was not provided to you more accurately at the time of your visit. Staff are trained to check with patients and their visitors to ensure important information is provided and understood accordingly. It is disappointing to hear this did not occur, I can assure that your valuable feedback will be used as an education tool to assist in guiding improvements and help prevent a repeat of a similar instance from occurring.

I would like to wish your parent all the best with their health care needs.

Kind Regards,

Grant Waterer

A/Executive Director

Royal Perth Bentley Group

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