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"Trying to get help"

About: Karratha Health Campus / Emergency Department

(as the patient),

Recently, I rang Karratha drug and alcohol department where they were extremely helpful. I filled out emailed paperwork to enter the facility as I don't have a problem per say but needed help adjusting the quantity I was taking. My partner filled it out and we emailed it back.

I went to KHC to seek help and actually spoke to the staff member I had spoken to the previous day. They said they couldn't just take me in and the quickest way was to go to ED and come through that way (also on that day I had gone to my chemist and picked up a weeks worth of medication which I took with me and showed the nurse at ED and they photocopied my medication list). I had started going into withdrawal at this stage because I was seriously looking for help to halve the amount of medication I was taking (my pain medication as I was taking twice as much as I was supposed to) and wanted help getting back to my prescribed amount. To my surprise, I was within record time (thank you for that).

I was shown into a room where the Doctor was right behind me. I recall they didn't even ask me why I was there I sat down on the bed and they sat at the chair at their desk and it seemed proceeded to tell me I was a drug addict and they would not help the likes of me. So I got up walked out went to my car and instead of taking twice the prescribed amount I took 4 times the amount.

I have an extensive medical history but at the moment I have Fibromyalgia and End Stage Psoriatic Arthritis and have already started losing the use of one side of my body after some nerve injections (ryzotomty, nerve block and can’t remember what else).

I honestly really really wanted some help because my mental health is at its lowest, not quiet the bottom but close, thanks to googling my diagnosis.

Thank you for your time.

feel hopeless

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Responses

Response from Liam Avery, Operations Manager, West Pilbara, WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara nearly 2 years ago
Liam Avery
Operations Manager, West Pilbara,
WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara

Operational Management of the West Pilbara Health Services

Submitted on 29/06/2022 at 4:44 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 4:44 PM


picture of Liam Avery

Dear feel hopeless,

Thank you for taking the time to provide us with feedback regarding your recent experience at the Karratha Health Campus.

While I am pleased to hear that you were helped and supported by the Pilbara Mental Health and Drug Service team, I am concerned to read about your subsequent experience at the Karratha Health Campus Emergency Department (ED) and how this has left you feeling.

I sincerely apologise that you felt judged and disrespected when you spoke with the doctor. This is certainly not how we want our patients to be left feeling. This is obviously a concerning time for you and I would like to connect you with the people who can help you with accessing what you need.

So that we can arrange this and gain a better understanding of your recent treatment and experience at the ED, I would like to invite you to contact me at your earliest convenience. My name is Liam Avery and I am the Operations Manager for the West Pilbara. If you are happy to, please call me on (08) 9144 7639 or email Liam.Avery@health.wa.gov.au

Again, thank you for sharing your experience with us. I really hope to hear from you soon.

Liam Avery

Operations Manager West Pilbara

WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara

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