"ED - not receiving any care"

Recently I attended the ED at Karratha Health Campus with moderate abdominal pain that had been consistent for 3 weeks as well as spotting and I had received a positive pregnancy test the night prior.  At first my experience was great as I was taken straight through with concerns it was an ectopic pregnancy. However, once in a consult room I would be offered pain relief but then no one would return for over an hour with any. The Doctor also requested I drink water to fill my bladder and each time I would hold on for between 45-75 minutes and have to empty my bladder in the toilet because I couldn’t hold on any longer. This went on for approx 3.5 hours then I couldn’t take it any longer and chose to leave against their advice. 

I ended up seeing my GP in Perth a few days later and was referred to a metropolitan Emergency Department where I received immediate and great care from beginning to end. They excluded any serious complications, however advised that my HCG levels were not quite adding up as they should be and the Foetus Heart Rate was also lower than ideal. The Doctor at the metropolitan hospital strongly advised me that if I have any pain and bleeding to go straight back to an emergency department. 

I returned to Karratha, and during the flight I began to heavily bleed with continuous pelvic cramping. I was worried about going to ED again so waited until the afternoon the next day if the bleeding continued. Which it did. I called Healthline direct and spoke with a nurse who advised me to go straight to ED, I also called Msi who advised me the same, and with what I was told by the Emergency doctor at the metropolitan hospital prior I made the decision to present to ED in Karratha. 

I did not have a good experience. When I was seen by a doctor after waiting an hour and a half, after falling asleep in the waiting room and becoming disorientated, I had no examinations completed. No ultrasound. And the treating doctor told me to go home, that it’s normal because they see many pregnant women with bleeding who have normal pregnancies and that because I’m planning a medical abortion they don’t believe in abortion so will not help me. 

The doctor did not ask any questions about the history of the pregnancy, nor any other symptoms I have experienced. 

I was told to go home and come back tomorrow if I am heavy bleeding because then I cannot go through with the medical abortion if I am miscarrying. 

I told the doctor that even if I bleed tomorrow, I will not return to the hospital because I’m exhausted of going to ED the last fortnight, especially when no examinations were done tonight. I got up to leave but then they said to wait and left the room. A nurse came in to then do a blood test and as they did this I broke down crying then proceeded to have an anxiety attack (I have anxiety, major depression and complex PTSD. I also am waiting to partake in court as a victim which has been causing huge stress). 

The doctor and nurse left the room the moment I started having an anxiety attack - no support or care was offered. I’ve been under extreme stress with the upcoming court trial and being told by 3 health professionals including an emergency doctor at the metropolitan hospital that specialises in women and babies to go to ED, just to have no examinations completed and be told to come back tomorrow was the final straw for me to break down. 

I’m humiliated and feel completely degraded, that my health is not important. To be told I won’t be helped because the doctor doesn’t agree with my plan to terminate but then I can’t do that if I’m miscarrying has added too much to my already full plate. 

I do not feel safe, based on my experience, knowing the care in Karratha feels inadequate. I understand it’s a remote town, but I believe there is still a standard of care that is expected. I feel there are already limited services in town for women in my situation and I’ve been completely put off seeking any further help.