"Waiting time for physio"

My teenage child had a sports accident playing soccer where they fell onto their back and upper neck. They reported feeling pain and dizziness. I took them to see a GP in Geraldton who thought it wasn’t any more than tissue damage and said come back in 5 weeks if it still hurts.

I returned with my son to see a different GP at the same clinic about 4 weeks later as my child was still in pain. After an X-Ray and MRI the result was oedema and some compression showing at the C6 vertebrae. The GP was too busy mind you to review the results until a day after they received the report. The GP called a neurosurgeon at a metro hospital who said my child should go into an Aspen Collar for 4 weeks and referred us to the Physiotherapist through the ED at Geraldton Hospital for this.

We sat and waited for 3 hours without knowing when or if we would get to see a Physiotherapist. I decided to make a phone call to a local private Physio who could fit them in that afternoon. I collected the referral from a seemingly crabby accounts receptionist and left the ED. The hospital physio called after we arrived home saying, where were we? (3 and a half hours later) I explained what I had done and was informed that I could make an appointment the next day at the hospital. In my opinion, what a joke. Nope.

The private physio called after we got home and apologised as they didn’t have a collar. I rang pharmacies and other physiotherapists none of whom had the collar. Geraldton is a big regional area of over 35,000 and spinal care seemingly can’t be easily accessed? What the hell! I gave up and have express post ordered the collar myself from Victoria. My child has lived without it for over 4 weeks so they will rest and I hope the collar comes in the next couple of days. Based on my experience, too bad if it was a worse fracture! Too bad if I really need decent prompt medical care.