Apology issued to ‘completely heartbroken’ woman denied from seeing dying grandmother in hospital

SA Health has apologised to the heartbroken family of a 95-year-old woman who was denied visitors before dying in hospital.

An apology has been issued to a “completely heartbroken” woman who was denied seeing her grandmother before she died in an Adelaide hospital.

Paige Carter first took to social media with an emotional video, making a tearful plea to South Australia’s Premier Steven Marshall to be able to see her dying 95-year-old grandmother in hospital.

The 28-year-old from Adelaide’s north said her grandmother, Patricia Woods, was first admitted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital on January 1 after a fall and there tested positive to Covid-19.

After she recovered, Ms Woods — who had dementia — was then transferred to a rehabilitation facility and was later readmitted to Adelaide’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital with a possible clot on her lung.

Health authorities have apologised to Paige Carter and her family after her 95-year-old grandmother Patricia died in hospital with no visitors allowed to say goodbye. Picture: Supplied

Ms Carter said no family member was able to visit “despite our best efforts” and felt “we‘ve abandoned her”.

“We need to see her, she needs to know we have not abandoned her,” she said.

“Steven Marshall – if your 95-year-old grandmother, or mother, was laying in a hospital bed for over a month, would you be able to see her?

“There are hundreds of families going through the same thing as us, and it’s cruel.”

Ms Carter made an emotional plea to premier Steven Marshall to see her grandmother in hospital. Picture: Supplied

Ms Carter later confirmed her grandmother had died in the early hours of Saturday morning. Picture: Supplied

Ms Carter later confirmed on social media her nanna had died in the early hours of Saturday morning, saying she was “completely heartbroken”.

“I don't know how to function knowing I’ll never see my nana (sic) again.

“All I can think about is that she spent the last month of her life alone, I will feel the utmost grief, pain and guilt for that for the rest of my life.

“I will feel the utmost grief, pain and guilt for the rest of my life.”

Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) — which is responsible for the hospital — said Ms Woods’ family were contacted to arrange a visit.

But Ms Carter said the family received a phone call at 7pm on Friday night advising them their exemption to see Ms Woods was granted for Saturday morning.

“I was so excited to see her ... I was going to jump in my car and go down there then and they told me: ‘no, it’s for tomorrow’,” she said.

“It’s making me angry because they are making it out to sound like I didn’t want to go on Friday.”

CALHN passed on its “sincerest condolences” to Ms Carter and her family. Picture: Supplied

Under existing restrictions, visitors in SA’s public hospitals are only allowed on site for compassionate reasons or end of life.

In a statement, CALHN passed on its “sincerest condolences” to Ms Carter and her family for their loss.

“We always do everything we can to ensure patients receive the best possible care in the absence of family and loved ones,” a CALHN spokesperson said.

“Visitors are allowed across all our hospital sites for compassionate reasons and we encourage our patients, their family or carers to speak with our staff to arrange a visit.

“The QEH staff made contact with the family to arrange a visit Friday, but unfortunately this didn’t occur, and we apologise to Ms Carter and her family.

“We will work with our team to ensure that we are proactive in granting compassionate or wellbeing visits for patients across all CALHN sites.”

The grandmother died while at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide's west. Picture: Sarah Reed

Premier Steven Marshall passed on his condolences, saying it was another “heartbreaking” story caused by Covid-19.

“My understanding is that SA Health did reach out to the family on Friday but unfortunately a visit wasn't effected and sadly the patient passed away on Saturday morning,” he told ABC Radio.

“We don't, as politicians, interfere with clinical decisions.

“Probably one of the most worrying things at the moment for hospitals and aged care facilities is infection control.”