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Waiting with back pain

Posted By marstg59

"Waiting with back pain"

About: Joondalup Health Campus / Emergency Department

(as the patient),

Went to Joondalup Hospital one night in the evening, signed in the Covid bit and it seemed before I even put my foot through the door was told there would be about an 8-9 hour wait. I turn around and went home with massive back pain, well the next night about midnight I woke up having like a spasm fit in my back so I go Joondalup hospital again this time I recall there were 3 people only. Anyhow I get a bed great I think doctor will come within 4 hours cause that is what the sign says. Come the morning, still no doctor so I got dressed, crying in pain and went home. It seems to me there is money being spent on expansion but they can’t even get the broken system fixed so I wonder what will it be like when they finish the expansion? Joondalup Hospital is, in my opinion, renowned for their lack of care but I feel we have to put up with it, it’s the only hospital we have north of the river 

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Responses

Response from Dr Kevin Hartley, Director of Medical Services, Joondalup Health Campus nearly 2 years ago
Dr Kevin Hartley
Director of Medical Services,
Joondalup Health Campus

Submitted on 23/05/2022 at 12:43 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 12:52 PM

Dear marstg59,

Thank you for sharing your story with us. We sincerely apologise for your experience when you attended Joondalup Health Campus (JHC) Emergency Department (ED) with back pain. It appears from reading your feedback that the anticipated wait time in the Emergency Department (ED) was the reason you left the department before waiting for a medical review. Unfortunately, we have been experiencing longer than usual wait times in ED. Because of this we have been informing people of the anticipated wait time when they arrive.

All patients who attend the ED are triaged (assessed) by experienced nurses when they arrive in the waiting room, accordingly to their presenting symptoms, and the sickest patients need to be seen first. In addition, while people sit in the waiting room, critically unwell patients or medically unstable patients continue to be brought to the ED via ambulance or by private care and these people need to be seen immediately. This will result in people who are less sick waiting for longer.

You mention that when you reattended the ED the following day, you recall there being only 3 people in the waiting room. The waiting room is only one of a number of separate areas in the ED and does not represent a true reflection of the activity within the whole ED. Behind the waiting room is the Main Department where patients are assessed and treated. Many patients will require procedures to be undertaken before a decision can be made as to whether they can go home or need to be admitted to the hospital for ongoing care. Until a bed is available on the ward for a patient to be admitted to, a patient will continue to be cared for in the ED, this contributes to the waiting time for those in the waiting room.

I hope this information assists in understanding why the wait times might be longer than you may expect, particularly with the current demands on the health care system.

Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback on Care Opinion.

I wish you a speedy recovery.

Regards

Dr Kevin Hartley

Director of Medical Services

Joondalup Health Campus

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