"Injury while in care"

My child attended PCH for a PICC line insertion recently. My child is a child with high sensory needs and struggles mentally in a hospital setting.

The doctor advised that as per usual I was able to hold my child and keep them comfortable while the anaesthetic team were applying the mask to their face. I was upset when I walked into the room to be told to lay them and and restrain them. When I asked if I can please hold my child like usual I was told no because it was easier to hold them and restrain them.

My child has had many procedures requiring anaesthetic and that was the most distressing time for all of us.

When we were then reconnected in PACU I noticed open wounds on my child’s forehead. The staff member from PACU thought they were from home as theatre did not mention them, I recall they then tried to wipe an alcohol wipe over an open wound leaving my child distressed. Another staff member who I believe is acting in the role as a coordinator in PACU took it very seriously and contacted anaesthetic and plastics team.

Anaesthetic PICC team do not recall the wounds and say it did not happen while in their care. PACU also believes my child arrived in their care with it. Plastics team feel it’s a burn of some form from what I have been told.

I recall the acting coordinator promised me they would contact me and I’ve not yet heard anything. I reached out to the complaints team who I feel have hand balled me to another complaints team which I have been told will now take 30 days ontop. I feel this has been delt with very poorly and the lack of communication is really distressing.

I’m appalled at how a child can seemingly be hurt while in the care of a health care professional with no answers, nor conversations with the parents around this following up with answers and resolution. We now have to be outpatients of the plastics team for scar management advice and support.