"Early discharge and lack of support"

We've been to PMH multiple times within the last number of months due to febrile related seizures in our baby and we don't expect to be waited on hand and foot but would really appreciate it if there was more support for those entering a ward for the first time regardless of prior visits. On a few occasions we've received information and help from other families on the ward about services within the hospital when it shouldn't be their effort. I too have passed on this information to new patients because they were not made aware that there is plenty of support and services out there linked to this hospital. In my opinion, the parent's rooms are a joke, broken taps that aren't being fixed, broken plugs for the sink you wash your child's bottles in, broken arm chairs you sleep on because there's no other option, grimy kettles, the list goes on. There's the good and the bad which is to be expected, but if you make yourself heard you're made to feel like you're being difficult.

This is my 4th visit with this baby and for the first time we were offered formula, bottles and food for baby upon arrival. This is unacceptable, I wasn't even aware we could ask for such things in my previous stays and was lucky enough to have family to drop baby food, formula and bottles off as I couldn't leave the ward myself.

24hrs after waking up from an induced coma they told us we're going home after coming back from a walk- baby wasn't even on the ward when they made this decision! (We had to get outside in the cold air as the ward was too hot for our baby's fever) I was furious as the only thing keeping our baby's temp down was panadol and nurofen. Baby was still dopey and not them-self but attending staff tried telling me they can't do anything for us and they don't want our baby catching a bug on the ward. I know you can't do anything for us, but the one thing you can do is support us in our vulnerable state. Our baby's history of an early discharge with a previous hospital resulted in another seizure and another induced coma. Why should I be made to feel like I'm stupid and an inconvenience? We put our foot down and stayed another night. Our baby's temp became stable without medication and they were keen to get us out so we left and without anyone to pick us up we started our 2 hr trip home via public transport. I'm trusting medical staff less and less every time we need to rely on them.