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"Drs not listening"

About: Sale Hospital / Emergency Department Sale Hospital / Palliative Care

(as the patient),

I am a terminal cancer patient that presented to our local hospital's emergency department due to having a pain crises. When I was called to see a dr I explained that I was having pain and that something was wrong. I was given pain relief and sent on my way with no tests or scans. The Palliative Care nurse rang me on the following day to discuss what had happened and I said the pain was increasing and I had been taking the medication as directed. The Palliative Care nurse suggested I go back to the Emergency department  and tell them that the pain has not settled.

Once again I was given more pain relief, they said I could not have any scans and they let me go. A couple of days later, I presented to my GP who was not happy with the mix of meds I was given and ordered an MRI. That night I was using a rechargeable gel heat pack to help with the pain and it exploded, causing 3rd degree burns over my arm and body. I was then transported by ambulance to another hospital. I explained that I was having alot of pain and whilst they treated my burns they also performed CT scans to investigate what caused the pain. In the CT Scan they discovered that cancer had moved to my upper spinal cord, which was the reason of the pain. 

I feel so hurt that if the local Sale Gippsland Health Emergency Service took my pain more seriously and put me through the scans (which they had done the last time I presented with a pain crisis years prior) they would of found that the cancer had got to the spinal cord and they would of admitted me locally to treat and, in my opinion, then the accident with the heat pack would not have happened. 

Im so intune with me body where if I feel there is something wrong, there generally is, and I felt so let down by the doctors at the Gippsland Health Service that they simply did not listen to me but just give me meds to seemingly get rid of me, when I felt there was so much more going on inside me.

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Responses

Response from Divyanshu Dua, Director Medical Services, Central Gippsland Health 10 months ago
Divyanshu Dua
Director Medical Services,
Central Gippsland Health
Submitted on 21/06/2023 at 9:38 AM
Published on Care Opinion at 9:40 AM


picture of Divyanshu Dua

Dear CancerPatientWhoKnowsTheirBody

Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback in relation to your presentation to our Emergency Department.

We appreciate your concerns about being sent home on two occasions with pain relief, but no tests or scans.

We are also very sorry to hear of what occurred when utilising a rechargeable gel heat pack to help you manage your pain levels, and that you feel that we did not take your pain crisis more seriously.

If you would be comfortable providing us with your contact details, we would be pleased to investigate your concerns in more detail, specifically in relation to the issue of tests/scans not being performed, and whether we can provide you with any additional supports. This will enable us to provide a more comprehensive response to your feedback.

I can be reached at Divyanshu.dua@cghs.com.au or on (03) 5143 8700. Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience with us.

Kind Regards

Dr Divyanshu Dua

Director Medical Services

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