Sick boy, 4, lies on folded towels as SA Health hospital pillow shortage crisis deepens

This sick little boy was forced to lie in pain on folded towels at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital because no pillows were available. The hospital has apologised.

A sick four-year-old boy lies on towels after a nurse at the WCH couldn’t find a spare pillow in the entire hospital. Picture: Supplied

A young ill patient was forced to lie in pain on folded towels at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital as the state’s health system pillow shortage crisis deepens.

A shocking picture, released by his distressed family, shows the four-year-old boy lying on white towels as a pillow for almost five hours last month.

It is the latest incident of hospital patients reporting a lack of pillows or linen and the first time an issue has been publicly linked to the WCH.

Health Minister Chris Picton on Tuesday ordered an urgent investigation as hospital bosses apologised despite insisting there was no shortage that day.

The boy, who is not being identified, was rushed in agony to the North Adelaide-based hospital’s emergency department on Thursday, April 20, at 12.30pm with what his family said was severe gastroenteritis and dehydration.

His GP suspected a bowel obstruction or a twisted bowel.

It is the first time the state’s pillow shortage has embroiled the Women's and Children's Hospital in North Adelaide. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

While waiting to be treated, the boy’s mother said a nurse had searched for a pillow for more than 20 minutes before admitting: “we just don’t have any”.

The mother, who declined to be named but has agreed for the Opposition to highlight her plight, praised clinicians for their “hard work and determined efforts”.

But she told the Opposition the experience was “unexpected … disappointing” and an “ongoing issue”. No further details were immediately released.

In March, the state government ordered an urgent audit to assess availability of pillows and blankets in emergency departments and inpatient wards.

The government, which has come under fire for its claims to “fix the ramping crisis”, despite figures showing March the worst month on record, has denied a shortage.

In a statement on Tuesday, Opposition Leader David Speirs condemned the “shocking and upsetting” issue along with inaction from Premier Peter Malinauskas and Mr Picton.

Premier Peter Malinauskas and Health Minister Chris Picton at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital. The government in March ordered an urgent review. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

“When it comes to vanishing pillow supplies, Peter Malinauskas and Chris Picton keep telling South Australians ‘nothing to see here’ – but sick patients and their families are telling us otherwise,” he said.

“If this was a celebrity or sports star, Peter Malinauskas would run to the hospital as quick as he could and personally hunt down a pillow.

“But now that health has fallen off his priority list, and with record ramping under Labor, (he) doesn’t want to know about it.

“When a worried parent rushes their sick child to hospital, the last thing they should be concerned about is something as simple as a pillow.”

Opposition health spokeswoman, Ashton Hurn, said the young boy’s mother said she couldn’t “fault the care her child was given by doctors and nurses”.

“But there’s clearly a breakdown in our hospital system if staff can’t give sick children a pillow,” she said.

“It must be incredibly distressing taking your child to hospital, only find there aren’t the basic supplies to make them comfortable when they’re sick and in pain.”

Health officials say an ordering system ensures quick restocking, combined with ongoing checks in wards including 35 bays in the paediatric ED each day.

An extra 100 pillows was delivered last month.

State Opposition Leader David Speirs and the Opposition health spokeswoman Ashton Hurn said it was concerning. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Emma Brasier

Mr Picton said he agreed “patients deserve to be provided with pillows in our hospitals”.

“I’ve asked the Women’s and Children’s Health Network to urgently investigate this case, speak to the family and the staff who were on shift, and to implement measures to improve outcomes for all patients,” he said.

He said his audit found the WCH had “sufficient stock”.

“Our doctors, nurses and staff in hospitals work incredibly hard and strive to provide the best outcomes for patients every day,” he said.

“Where there are issues that occur we need to find out what has happened and how it can improve for the next patients.”

In a statement, a hospital spokeswoman apologised.

She said it had “no record” of a pillow shortage over the past month.

“The … Emergency Department had ample supply of pillows on the 20 April and we apologise to the family who presented that evening and experienced this,” she said.

“We are making it a priority to address this issue with our staff and remind them of the ongoing stock available in the ED stockroom to ensure this does not happen again.”

Last month, Mr Picton ordered the urgent bedding review after a father said he was forced to drive home to find a pillow for his son during a stay at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Weeks later, the Opposition claimed an elderly patient, 93, was denied a pillow at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Last week a QEH whistleblower claimed the hospital’s deliveries of clean sheets fell short forcing staff to strip unused beds to find fresh linen for patients.