Hospital error could have cost former prison boss his life

THE former head of NSW prisons made a formal complaint about treatment he received at St Vincent's Private Hospital in Lismore.

Ron Woodman is upset over treatment he has received at a local hospital. Picture: Marc Stapelberg

A PATIENT who received the wrong treatment at a Lismore hospital says he is frightened that another mistake will cost him his life.

Former NSW Corrective Services commissioner Ron Woodham, 72, who suffered a stroke two years ago, is confined to a wheelchair and undergoes dialysis six days a week at St Vincent's Private Hospital in Lismore.

But during one treatment, a staff member used the wrong type of kidney machine, also known as a dialyser, which caused his blood pressure to plummet.

"I was that bad they had to bring in the review team with two nursing unit members who responded in case to administer a defibrillator," he said.

"My blood pressure dropped significantly in just 10 seconds."

At the end of July Mr Woodham sent a letter to St Vincent's chief executive Steve Brierley and his specialist Dr William James to make a formal complaint about incorrect treatment.

He believes it has contributed to a decline in his care.

"I have an immediate and adverse effect from chemicals in one type of artificial kidney (dialyser) and this person placed the wrong type on the dialysis machine," Mr Woodham said.

"Immediately I had a reaction and felt tight across the chest and could hardly move and could have gone into cardiac arrest."

Mr Brierley confirmed there had been an incident regarding the use of an incorrect dialyser on Mr Woodham.

"The only record of such an incident occurred on 22nd November 2016," he said.

Mr Brierley said when the mistake happened the St Vincent's renal unit was still under the management of a third-party provider, Fresenius Medical Care, which handed the clinic over to hospital in January 2017.

But he admitted some of the same staff were still employed by the hospital, including the person who made the dialyser error.

Mr Woodham's letter also said he was unhappy with a staff member injecting him, claiming that person was clumsy and always in a hurry, which caused him unnecessary pain and stress.

"I wanted to discuss this issue in confidentiality with Mr Brierly but he came and spoke with me in front of other people," he said.

"All I want is to be confident in the people who are part of my health care... because this costs $1500 a day for my dialysis."

In a letter dated August 2 from Mr Brierley, the chief executive apologised to Mr Woodham.

"I note your concerns about the performance of (staff)," he wrote.

But for Mr Woodham, who spent decades dealing with politicians across the spectrum, this letter does not solve anything.

"Mr Brierley is not addressing the issues, what are appropriate measures?" he said.

A former staff member of St Vincent's who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said it was "common knowledge amongst hospital staff that trained renal nursing practitioners hours have been cut or replaced".

Dr James' office said he felt it "was inappropriate" for him to comment.

The Northern Star has contacted Fresenius Medical Care for comment.