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Follow up on complaint about treatment

Posted By Steamshovel

"Follow up on complaint about treatment"

About: Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital / Acute General Medicine

(as the patient),

I had a left upper lung lobe removed last year, I was told I had one small cancer- a malignant adenocarcinoma staged 1A but turned out to be 2 cancers and microscopic cancer in 1 lymph node.

I left after 2 and a half days, I left staged 3A.

My treatment in the ward was a disgrace. I felt I was locked in 1 corner, curtains unopened for 2 and a half days, I believe it was used as a washroom during the day and the nurses' nightstand was at the end of my bed. I recall the curtain was open about 60cm's with a light on all night, people next to me were talking loudly into the night, I asked when I was being moved to a ‘proper’ ward, I was told this was it.

On day 2, I recall I was held by two staff members and one used an old yellow x-ray machine at the end of my bed and radiated me for 20 seconds whilst the other held me down, I tried to stop it but they open hand/heel punched me in the chest near the wound site, I felt they were trying to kill me. I have an impaired hand and am of a senior age and just had a lung lobe removed, 2 clinicians arrived out of nowhere and stopped this use of force.

I complained later, 3 weeks later, I believe they lost my complaint for 3 months. I complained officially to the head of security who I felt nothing. I asked to see pictures of all staff on duty that day, they said no. I did not want any names, just to ID them. 

I will not live long enough to do anything, the police were not interested because I couldn't give names, the hospital said it was ketamine but it was witnessed by 2 clinicians who stopped the altercation, I am forever grateful to them.  

I believe one of the staff members is a very dangerous person, the other tried to pull my chest drain out. It was all disregarded, or they didn't receive my complaint. I feel the two staff members need to be found and dealt with as a matter of urgency and patient safety!

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Responses

Response from Janet Zagari, Executive Director, Sir Charles Gairdner Osborne Park Health Care Group 2 years ago
Janet Zagari
Executive Director,
Sir Charles Gairdner Osborne Park Health Care Group

Submitted on 23/02/2022 at 4:50 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 4:52 PM

picture of Janet Zagari

Dear Steamshovel,

First of all, I want to say how sorry I am to hear of your diagnosis. This is undoubtedly a very difficult time for you and your account of your experience leaves no doubt as to the distress you are experiencing.

The allegations you made are indeed very serious and I would like to take this opportunity to address them as much as can be done on a public platform. As an anonymous platform, it can be difficult to conduct an investigation as we need to be able to identify an author to investigate a specific incident of care. However, we did receive a complaint that matches your story told here on Care Opinion Australia, and as you mention you submitted a complaint internally, my response is written on the understanding that you were the person who submitted that complaint.

Upon receiving your complaint to the hospital, it was decided that the serious nature of your allegations warranted an official and immediate escalation of your concerns. Your account of your experience fell under the category of misconduct as it detailed allegations of physical violence, and unwanted or inappropriate physical contact including excessive use of force.

I respect that you believe the Head of Security did not take your concerns seriously so am outlining the process that is followed when serious allegations are made in the hope that it helps you to better understand this process.

The process of investigating allegations of misconduct are managed differently to that of a complaint. A complaint is received internally to the relevant health service; in this case it would be addressed and processed by Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (SCGH). Misconduct is investigated and addressed by the Integrity Directorate at North Metropolitan Health Service (NMHS) and is independent of SCGH. Please be reassured that your complaint was not lost, but rather that the thoroughness of the investigation means that it takes some time to complete. This process involves, but is not limited to, reviewing all patient notes, interviewing staff that were in attendance during your presentation and documenting the results of the investigation.

The investigation of the misconduct has now been closed as the Integrity Directorate concluded that evidence and information gathered during the investigation did not meet the threshold for a formal misconduct charge to be pursued. I understand this outcome has been communicated to you in a formal letter from the Director of the Integrity Directorate, who you refer to as the Head of Security. I understand that your memories are very troubling for you and you do not agree with the outcome of their investigation and for that I am truly sorry.

As I understand it, the anaesthetic administered to you is categorised as a dissociative drug that has been known to produce visual and auditory distortion and a detachment of reality as a side effect. This could account for the extremely distressing memories you have of your experience at the hospital. Please be reassured that I do not underestimate how difficult this has been for you. When people experience this side effect, what happens is a reality for them, which can, as may have been the case in your situation, be horrifying.

Our staff are dismayed that your recollections of the care experience are so alarming and hope that you are receiving support during this time? If you haven’t accessed support already, I would encourage you to speak to your GP about your experience so that you can be connected with the appropriate services.

If you did wish to pursue your complaint further, you are welcome to either escalate this with the Corruption and Crime Commission and/or the Public Sector Commission or the Health and Disability Services Complaints Office (HADSCO) who can assist you in addressing your concerns with the health service.

Janet Zagari

Executive Director, Sir Charles Gairdner Osborne Park Health Care Group

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