Families forced to grieve on footpath outside RDH

GRIEVING families being forced to mourn their dead relatives the footpath by the carpark at Royal Darwin Hospital has been labelled racist.

Australian Medical Association NT president Dr Rob Parker said he is furious about the arrangements at Royal Darwin Hospital, which he slammed as “racist”.

GRIEVING families are being forced to mourn their dead relatives on the footpath near the carpark at Royal Darwin Hospital because there is nowhere private for them to gather, according to the NT’s top doctor.

Australian Medical Association NT president Dr Rob Parker was furious about the arrangements, which he slammed as “racist” and disrespectful.

“Most of the grieving for Aboriginal people takes place on the footpath, outside the morgue adjacent to the RDH carpark,” he said.

“On occasion you’ll walk up and you’ll see this whole bunch of people crying — in significant distress — in the public view. Sitting on the footpath wailing, which I think is just disgraceful.”

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Dr Parker said Alice Springs Hospital had done significant design work to create private grieving spaces for families.

He said there was a need for a similar space at RDH.

“It’s a disgrace,” Dr Parker said. “If the Chief Minister’s nearest and dearest passed away and he had to sit on the footpath next to a car park I’m sure you’d see some change overnight.

“It’s racist, where it’s quite acceptable for Aboriginal people to be seen grieving on a footpath next to a carpark.”

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When RDH was built in the 1970s, the entire facility was a copy of one in Canberra.

Dr Parker said grieving arrangements aside, the morgue itself was outdated and too small.

“The hospital is having trouble attracting a pathologist because it’s very outdated equipment,” he said.

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A Health Department spokeswoman said there were no issues attracting senior pathologists to the facility

The spokeswoman said she was aware that many families were mourning on the footpath by the carpark at RDH.

“People are all welcome to use the public spaces outside of the hospital and when larger groups of people visit they will often also go outside,” she said.

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“Where families need a space to themselves every effort is made to find them a comfortable room.”

The spokeswoman said the mortuary was a “modest facility” that could host a small group at a time.

“Where larger groups are involved they gather in the covered areas outside the morgue and are escorted to the viewing room in small groups,” she said.

“RDH recently had a viewing that involved 72 family and friends in attendance, hence it is likely that people grieve outside of the hospital.”