Page 3286 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 13 November 2007
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
innocuous contacts) we had sought private care but the oral antibiotics were not sufficient, her original testing surgeon saw her at short notice, he is a rare find amongst specialists, but he referred it to A&E at Calvary due to the nature of the swelling. She was in distress and severe pain she waited over 3 hours and they wanted to admit her, but she refused given my immobility, I would have done the same she is recovering nicely.
• I was requested to attend a fracture clinic a fortnight after discharge from hospital which I did as a courtesy to the operating surgeons rather than just wander off to the private system. The place was clearly oversupplied with patients and under supplied with staff. They were so busy that the plaster that was applied to my leg was not even dry when I was bundled out of the clinic.
• The bathroom in the ward was a disgrace. At the bottom of the mirror was a tray in which lay dirty old toothbrushes, dirty old razors, a couple of old looking calamine lotion tubes orange in colour, an old canister of shave cream and an assortment of other debris. The only attempt at cleaning I witnessed was a lady who walked into the room moved a book off the bed table wiped it with a tissue and said, “your breakfast will be here shortly.” Little wonder I experienced a repeat infection in one of the wounds, or was that caused by laying in A&E for hours on end with an open wound?
Let me say this of the health professionals in both establishments, they are of the highest standard of human beings to work under that pressure and be as gentle and reassuring beggars belief, they are truly wonderful people.
I trust the background is of assistance in helping you answer my questions unambiguously.
He goes on to say:
I shall end by suggesting that your government which, along with many previous to it, stop squandering money on such folly as an arboretum, cycle paths on busy roads, a cycle park at or near Duffy, expensive art for civic, a bronze statue of a deceased ex-federal politician and a goal to name but a few wastes of money an start investing in getting our hospitals clean and the word CARE reintroduced to the health system so that we can say ACT Health Care with honesty.
I look forward to YOUR reply.
Again, I think I have given sufficient detail, including the time, for the minister to actually respond to him. That email, unfortunately, is symptomatic of a lot of experiences people have. I must say—I think I probably mentioned this before—I experienced at the fracture clinic, which my wife visited in April this year, very similar experiences: great staff doing a fantastic job but absolutely run off their feet, and people waiting around hours on end. In fact, the time I was there, some of the people I met, with the typical good Aussie spirit, were making a joke of it, but, even so, it is a concern.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .