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"Psychiatric treatment"

About: Bunbury Mental Health / Bunbury Acute Psychiatric Unit (APU)

(as the patient),

This spans over two separate admissions 6 monthish apart. Both of these admissions I had the same treating clinician. When first meeting them I found they had an unkind demeanour, one where they seemed to put themselves above their patients.

When meeting with them on my first day of admission I was asking about what treatments there were for me to receive. Upon being told the only treatments were changing medication and repeated daily groups with no offer of therapy, meeting with an OT etc (all things that I find most beneficial to get me out of crisis). I had asked if I could, when a bed became available, be transferred to a hospital with said facilities so I could receive proper treatment. I felt this request was apparently amusing to them as I recall they blatantly laughed in my face.

During this meeting I had also expressed my strong urges to self harm/end my life. They told me if I were to try any of that I’d simply be sent home because the treatment clearly wasn’t working. However from my understanding, if you have a patient who attempts to or does hurt themselves it is your duty of care to keep them safe. Now they did eventually transfer me to a private facility that I believe wasn’t properly equipped to deal with a crisis admission instead of a public hospital able to deal with and treat such admissions.

This all happened last year. I was just going to leave all of this and not report the behaviour but then I had to return to Bunbury APU recently.

This time, due to my past experience causing a great deal of mistrust and trauma for the staff at APU, I begged the emergency staff not to send me to this hospital however they reassured me this would be a stepping stone to get to a better facility, and in the end I was given strong medication and was sent on my way.

The first couple days I was there was on a weekend and I was so on edge begging not to have the previous treating clinician. When Monday came around, my worst fear had become a reality.

I was very blunt with the clinician this time saying that I wanted to be transferred to another hospital, my last admission under their care left me traumatised. They quickly agreed to send me elsewhere I thought that maybe they had gained an ounce of respect for my wishes. However the next day rolled around they claimed the other hospital had declined my admission. I then demanded to be discharged which they seemed to have no problem doing, you know, even though they had a patient who had just attempted suicide and had told them that they still wished to hurt themselves again.

I returned to hospital a few days later and was admitted by the emergency psychiatrist to the other hospital. Once I was taken in it was brought up for discussion as to why I wasn’t accepted by them on my admission at that stage about a week before. The bed manager/head of ward checked their system and there simply hadn’t been an admission sent thorough to them. It seemed the clinician had called up stating that I was interested in transfer but they had plan to discharge me the next day, which was never communicated with me nor had I received any treatment.

I’m aware the other hospital made a complaint about this clinician on behalf of me but I do not want this swept under the rug. I feel I can’t be the only person they are seemingly gaslighting and lying to.

To top this all off in their discharge summary I am stated to be Caucasian which is false I’m Aboriginal Australian and proud to be. I’m also claimed to be suffering with Emotionally Unstable Personality disorder otherwise known as Borderline Personality disorder which was proven to be not the case when I received my Autism diagnosis in 2020 as Autism much better explains my behaviours than BPD. These are both things I explained to the clinician and I believe are written in my medical history so it seems they clearly didn’t even read my papers properly.

I’m simply appalled at the clinician’s behaviour. Based on my experience, this is a clinician with no sympathy whatsoever for their patients. I found they lied, was rude for no reason and I felt couldn’t even do their job properly. Over two admissions I received no treatment. I find it ironic that the clinician apparently thought they could put my reason for discharge as “treatment complete" because I felt there was none. Based on my experience, I need to see this clinician face repercussions for their behaviour. 

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Responses

Response from Altaf Khoja, Deputy Director of Medical Services Head of Department -Acute Psychiatry services, Bunbury Hospital, WACHS - South West 2 years ago
Altaf Khoja
Deputy Director of Medical Services Head of Department -Acute Psychiatry services, Bunbury Hospital,
WACHS - South West
Submitted on 13/04/2022 at 11:38 AM
Published on Care Opinion at 11:38 AM


Dear Oak,

Thank you for sharing your experience with the Acute Psychiatric Unit (APU) at Bunbury Hospital on Care Opinion.

Firstly, I am sorry to hear of your experience with us. This certainly doesn’t sound like the standard of compassionate and patient-focused care that we strive to achieve. The APU provides a variety of different therapies via groups, as well as one on one sessions, and I am disappointed that therapy wasn’t offered to you. I am also sorry to hear that your treating clinician did not treat you with compassion and respect, which are paramount to our profession.

I am not able to look in to your records specifically, as I do not have any information about you and the time you were at the APU. I would like the opportunity to speak with you personally, if you feel comfortable. There are many aspects to your complaint that I would like to investigate further as you have raised some very important and valid points.

If you are comfortable to do so, please contact our Customer Liaison Officer on 08 9722 1521 who will arrange for me to call you at a convenient time.

Thank you once again for speaking up about the care you received. I look forward to speaking with you further about this.

Kind regards,

Dr Altaf Khoja

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Response from Altaf Khoja, Deputy Director of Medical Services Head of Department -Acute Psychiatry services, Bunbury Hospital, WACHS - South West nearly 2 years ago
Altaf Khoja
Deputy Director of Medical Services Head of Department -Acute Psychiatry services, Bunbury Hospital,
WACHS - South West
Submitted on 30/05/2022 at 12:34 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 12:53 PM


Dear Oak,

I thought I would touch base again as we haven't heard from you. I appreciate your courage reaching out on Care Opinion to share your story and would very much like to opportunity to look further into this situation, so that we can learn from you and improve our services and take any necessary steps.

I would be very appreciative if you would contact our Customer Liaison Officer on 08 9722 1521 so that we can make a time to discuss what has happened.

Warm Regards,

Dr Altaf Khoja

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