"My elderly parent's experience"

My parent is elderly. Recently they randomly felt dizzy, sweating. Until recently, their symptom is getting stronger, so I took them to the emergency department in Sir Charles Gairdner hospital around midday. After 3 hours waiting in the lobby and my parent suffered more than one hour of dizziness, I had to ask the staff and see if we can be treated sooner and how much longer we had to wait. So the reception staff organised a bed for my parent within 10 minutes after I asked.

In side the treating cubical, Nurse Chelsea, Doctor (I forgot the name), patient movement staff Sean were really nice and helpful. My parent was taken for a CT scan after and was sent to Lower Ground Observation room. Everything was fine, and my parent had dinner which was nice. Physio doctor came and did a few examinations, and told us CT looks okay, doctor will come and have a look, if no other things we will be discharged on the night. So I told my family there is no need to come visit and get us essential supplies, we are heading back home tonight.

That was around 8pm.

Since 8pm, we were waiting, waiting until around 10pm, no one come not even one staff come and ask anything or tell us the update. So I went out to the nurse station and ask how much longer do we have to wait, the answer is they couldn't help. So I had to walk back to the room and keep waiting.

Around 11.30pm, I came out room again, and ask one of the nurse, any chance if can someone ask for us and see how long the doctor is going to come. Answer is cannot help. They said the doctor might be busying with other patient or doing other important things. I told them we were there for more than 3 hours of waiting after the last check up, and it was almost midnight, I need to know whether it's worth for my family to send some cloth or charger to us if we have to stay here over night. And All I need is the updates from the nurses, the nurse told me they were too busy to provide the updates and it seemed there were 7 patients and only 2 staff, so they can't look after every patients. I told them I totally understand they were busy, and I do respect this, that was why I didn't say anything within the 3 and half hours waiting time. And I told them I need to get to work early in the morning, I need to know what is going on and plan what to do, either stay overnight or keep waiting for doctor to come. I can't sit on a chair for the whole night. They told me If I wanted to go I can go, they will look after my parent. I told them my parent does not speak English, it will be much easier for me to stay with them and translate for them. Plus a nurse just told me they had not enough staff to look after the 7 patients, I didn't believe they can look after my parent well. Any way, after 5 minutes of conversation, the nurse told me if I don't want to wait, I can go to the private hospital next door, over there I don't have to wait long. I said to the nurse if this was their attitude, I wanted my parent to be discharge now and transfer us to the private hospital. So they called their leader come. When they came, I felt I could see their angry face and they asked me what do I want, I told them my needs, they said if my parent was discharge by ourselves, all the consequences would be our own responsibility. They told me not to raise my voice or they will call security. So I stop talking and start to pack. My parent was very uncomfortable staying there and wait for hours and they agreed to discharge by ourselves. So the senior nurse brought a piece of paper with a clip board and ask me to fill and sign without any explaination. I signed and held the board. I asked their names so I can make a formal complaint, they would not tell me, so I held the board and keep asking, then they told me, and threaten me again and said if I don't give the paperwork to them they will call security. So I gave to them. I recall they then pulled off the needle from my parent's hand, and point on their right that is the way out and left us in the room. That was 10 minutes to Midnight.

We left the hospital with no report, no medication.

Not happy.