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Partner was discharged with active infection

Posted By golfke98

"Partner was discharged with active infection"

About: Fiona Stanley Hospital / State Rehabilitation Service Wards A&B, Wards 1A& 2A

(as a carer),

After many emails my paraplegic partner was finally accepted to FSH mid last year. They remained at FSH on the spinal ward for 6 months, being discharged just before the end of the year. After being back at home for less than 4 weeks, we identified a pressure wound on their bum and they had to return to FSH via Emergency Department. Once back in hospital it became apparent that they were sent home prior with an active infection and had no chance of recovering successfully at home. To say we are frustrated is an absolute understatement. After 6 months of daily visits to Hospital we were so excited to finally have them home, only to learn that they were seemingly set up to fail. 

At the time of writing this my partner has been back at FSH for a few weeks, where there has seemingly been no responsibility taken for what I feel is the apparent negligence in care last year. My partner was told that they were sent home with anti-biotics to manage the infection which is completely untrue. As we have been vocal about our poor experience, we have been told recently that they are being transferred to another hospital. My partner is paraplegic, they are in hospital due to a pressure wound - resulting from their paraplegia and despite Fiona Stanley Hospital having the only specialised spinal ward in the State they have seemingly decided to 'pass the issue' onto someone else. 

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Responses

Response from Neil Doverty, Executive Director Fiona Stanley and Fremantle Hospitals Group, South Metropolitan Health Service 2 months ago
Neil Doverty
Executive Director Fiona Stanley and Fremantle Hospitals Group,
South Metropolitan Health Service

Submitted on 21/02/2024 at 5:17 PM
Published on Care Opinion on 22/02/2024 at 11:16 AM

picture of Neil Doverty

Dear golfke98,

I am sorry to hear of the new pressure injury. I appreciate how frustrating it must be to return to hospital for further treatment after a prolonged admission in 2023.

Your partner’s discharge preparations from the 2023 admission have been investigated and Infectious Disease specialists reviewed their case on the 12th of December. Specialists confirmed that your partner no longer had active infection and the antibiotics were ceased prior to discharge on the 14th of December.

As you will know, pressure injury care is lifelong for those with a spinal cord injury. The Spinal Outreach Service will continue to support your partner as they did between 18th December and 11th January with strategies to prevent and treat any new pressure injuries that develop. If, as has happened in this instance, a pressure injury does develop patients will be directed to seek treatment from their local health services. The Spinal Outreach Service is available to support them in specific spinal cord injury needs. I have confirmed this was the direction given to your partner on the 31st of January prior to their arrival at Fiona Stanley Hospital Emergency Department.

Pressure Injuries commonly deteriorate after identification. This is due to the damaged tissues shedding away. The degree to which this happens will be dependent on the triggers for the injury, degree of injury, and post identification compliance with transferring pressure and stress away from your buttocks / heels etc (pressure offloading). Your partner has been seen by the wound care specialists at Fiona Stanley Hospital and they will be able to continue to provide information on their wound and how best to aid the healing process.

I can confirm that detailed information has been provided to the Plastics team to inform them of your partner’s wound and they have advised that surgical closure is not appropriate. As your partner will know, they have advised pressure offloading and dressings as directed by the wound care nurse specialist is the treatment. The dressings for their wound will need to be reviewed continually to ensure they are optimal as the healing process progresses. So far, a vac-seal dressing has not been recommended for the wound.

Rehabilitation Medicine and the Spinal Specialist have reviewed your partner’s need to be admitted to the spinal ward. They have not found any care needs that require such admission and hence have recommended either transfer to a facility closer to home or respite community care if it is possible to manage your partner's prone trolley and other needs at these facilities. I have confirmed that the Social Work team in Ward 2A is working closely with the Spinal Outreach Service on this.

I agree that Fremantle Hospital is a less suitable place for your partner to be transferred and I have been told this transfer is no longer being arranged. As for any patient in WA I would advocate for care closer to home where this meets the patient’s needs. I understand the General Medical doctors are working closely with the Spinal Outreach Service and Ward 2A Social Work for options closer to your partner’s home as recommended by the Spinal Rehabilitation team. I encourage you to continue to liaise with them should you have any questions, and for the most up to date information, as this will change progressively.

The General Medicine doctors will be in contact this week to arrange a meeting with you and your partner where they will be able to speak about the future care planning need and which options are available. This will include a surgical review plan, wound care and supports available for spinal specific needs.

I hope that the proposed meeting will provide the answers you need to address your current and future issues and once again I thank you for your feedback.

Kind regards

Neil Doverty

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