Grandma says she has concerns over Bundaberg Hospital over claimed broken back misdiagnosis

A grandmother claims the Bundaberg Hospital failed to diagnose her broken back while she was suffering pain worse than childbirth. But according to the hospital her care was appropriate.

Robyn Hoskins is concerned about the quality of the care she received in Bundaberg Hospital.

Robyn Hoskins was kicking a ball with her grandson in her backyard when she lost her balance and fell.

The active grandmother headed straight to the emergency department at Bundaberg Hospital and was offered a scan that failed to show serious injury, but Ms Hoskins knew something terrible had happened.

Ms Hoskins, 69, described the pain she was in as “all-consuming” and worse than childbirth.

She spent a day in hospital before she says she was told she could go home.

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Ms Hoskins would make another two emergency hospital trips after her first visit, both times complaining of severe pain unlike anything she’d felt in her life.

After one visit, she claims she was put out on a seat outside the hospital, in the middle of the night, while she waited for someone to come and help get her home. Ms Hoskins said she was told the pain was from her muscles.

“I was in so much agony,” she said.

Ms Hoskins was in so much pain she had to rely on friends to help, but following the advice of one Bundaberg Hospital nurse, she went to a GP to demand further tests.

“I had to argue for scans, then I was told ‘your back is broken’, ‘go straight to hospital’,” she said.

Ms Hoskins had been living off Panadol Osteo, taking them “like lollies”.

However, the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service said in a statement that initial findings from a review of Ms Hoskins’ care found it was “appropriate”.

She had worn a back brace since the incident in December last year, and says if she had been heard at the beginning, she could have had relief sooner.

“I needed help when it first happened,” Ms Hoskins said.

“Any person with any competence should be able to see a person when they’re in pain.”

Ms Hoskins claims she was told at one stage she would be flown to Brisbane, only for the offer to be taken back.

“I wish now they would have sent me to Brisbane, I might have got the proper attention,” she said.

WBHHS CEO Debbie Carroll says a review showed Ms Hoskins received appropriate care while in Bundaberg Hospital.

“It’s too late now for me to be angry about it, but it’s still happening and it needs to stop.

“We have to make sure none of this keeps happening.”

Ms Hoskins’ biggest fear, she says, is for frail and elderly people who don’t have anyone to advocate for them, who could end up in a similar situation to her.

“Too many people aren’t as lucky as me, they’re the ones we have to look out for,” she said.

“It should not be how they’re spending their last days – in agony because no one’s bothered to check or do a scan.”

Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service CEO Debbie Carroll said patient concerns were taken seriously.

“WBHHS can confirm that the patient raising this matter did receive treatment at Bundaberg Hospital in December 2021,” she said.

“Complaints about her care in 2021 have only been received via Clinical Governance in the past week.”

Ms Carroll said a review had been conducted into Ms Hoskins’ treatment.

“We take all patient concerns seriously, including the one recently lodged by Ms Hoskins’ advocate in December 2022,” she said.

“A comprehensive review of her presentation and treatment have begun, and preliminary findings indicate she received clinically appropriate care.

“Ms Hoskins did present to the Bundaberg Emergency Department last year to investigate and treat back pain, and a CT scan was performed on her initial presentation.

“She presented an additional three times to further investigate and manage her continued pain, and received ongoing treatment, review and support via a WBHHS specialist outpatients clinic.”

Ms Hoskins dreams of getting back in the caravan that has sat parked for 12 months since the incident.