‘Shocked’ Gympie mother forced to stay in emergency room due to Children’s Ward closure

A Gympie mother and her nine-month-old son had to ‘sleep’ in a room at the Gympie Hospital Emergency Department because there was no Children’s Ward for him to be admitted to.

Mother of two Jazzy Patfield takes stance against Gympie Hospital Children’s Ward closure.

A Gympie mother of two has demanded change after she was forced to sleep overnight in an emergency room at the Gympie Hospital due to the closure of the Children’s Ward.

Jazzy Patfield joined other families across the region in expressing their deep concern at the lack of paediatric services after she experienced first hand the impact of the closure of the Gympie Hospital Children’s Ward.

A month ago, Miss Patfield took her nine-month-old son Maverik to the Gympie Hospital with a high temperature.

She was told Maverik needed to be monitored overnight and was “shocked” to discover that the Children’s Ward was no longer operating.

“I didn't know what to think at the time,” Miss Patfield said.

“I had to sleep in the emergency paediatric room with my son.

“Myself and my son didn't even sleep much that night due to being so loud.”

SAVE OUR CHILDREN’S WARD: The Gympie Hospital. Photo Tanya Easterby / The Gympie Times

Miss Patfield said she was told by hospital staff that money was the issue behind the Children’s Ward closure.

The mother of two told The Gympie Times when she found out there was no longer a specialised ward for paediatric care, she was immediately concerned for her children and other struggling families.

“I was like ‘what would I have to do if I went down there by ambulance?’. I had no funds to get home or stay anywhere and family couldn’t help,” she said.

Region must rail against closure of Gympie Hospital Children’s Ward

“To think also what would happen to other parents out there like me. Where would they stay if they had extra kids if they were a single mother?

“It makes me angry you know with families with sick kids they’ve got to travel so far just to get help if not sleep in a emergency room. It’s unfair on parents and kids. Kids need to feel safe.”

Gympie MP Tony Perrett will discuss investment in the Gympie Hospital and its services with the new SCHHD CEO after Gympie failed to get a mention in Qld Health’s record-breaking budget.

Following her sleepless night in the emergency room while pregnant, Miss Patfield is hoping the Gympie Hospital can stop relying on other hospitals for certain services and become more self-sufficient.

“They need to take action and look around at these families,” she said.

“Why can’t Gympie Hospital be more like the Sunshine Coast University Hospital? It would be so much better for these sick people in the community.”

A petition supported by MP Tony Perrett to keep the ward open is available to sign HERE.

Do you think the Children’s Ward needs saving? Send your letters to [e-mail]