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Overhearing someone else's bad news

Posted By cheetahsc74

"Overhearing someone else's bad news"

About: Broome Health Campus / Theatre

(as the patient),

In day Surgery recently at Broome Hospital I over heard the locum surgeon loudly telling a patient that they had found pollups when they did the colonoscopy, that these had been there for probably about 1.5 years and that it would not be unlikely for it to be cancer. They then told the patient they would call the patient's next of kin in to receive the information.  This all happened in a public ward with seemingly numerous people in it separated by curtains. 

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Responses

Response from David Woodward, Acting Senior Medical Officer, Broome Hospital, WA Country Health Service 16 months ago
David Woodward
Acting Senior Medical Officer, Broome Hospital,
WA Country Health Service

Doctor at Broome Hospital

Submitted on 22/12/2022 at 3:18 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 3:19 PM

Dear cheetahsc74,

Thanks you for taking the time to provide feedback that will help us develop even better patient centred care.

My name is David Woodward and I am the senior medical officer at Broome Hospital.

You are correct, it is hard to have a private conversation in our hospital without being overheard in the open bays in ED, the ward and in day surgery.

It is well known to us and we are continue to explore ways to improve privacy for confidential conversations in all of these spaces.

In the meantime, I will have a word with staff and ask them to reflect on how, when and where they hold these conversations.

Should you wish to discuss this further then I can be contacted on 91942853 or david.woodward@health.wa.gov.au

Kind Regards

David Woodward

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