‘Excruciating pain’: inquiry after girl’s 12-hour wait at Westmead Hospital

An urgent inquiry into western Sydney hospitals will be held after a father claimed his daughter spent more than 12 hours waiting to see an emergency doctor despite being in ‘excruciating pain’ from suspected appendicitis.

An urgent inquiry into western Sydney hospitals will be held after a father claimed his daughter spent more than 12 hours waiting to see an emergency doctor despite being in ‘excruciating pain’ from suspected appendicitis.

NSW Heath Minister Ryan Park will meet with the management of Westmead Hospital on Wednesday as Premier Chris Minns said a lack of staff was to blame for blow-outs in waiting times.

It comes after the furious father claimed his 16-year-old daughter had been waiting for 12 hours to see a doctor at Westmead Hospital, saying she had been in “excruciating pain”.

The man told radio station 2GB he’d seen lines for emergency treatment ‘like you’d see at a football match’, claiming he’d seen other patients collapse while waiting.

“She’s in excruciating pain and throughout the night there were 80-100 people wanting to see a doctor,” Paul said to radio host Ben Fordham on Wednesday..

A 16-year-old had to wait more than 12 hours to receive treatment for suspected appendicitis. Picture: 2GB

“People collapsing on the floor, people having seizures, not enough room for people to sit.

“My daughter has to sit out in our car and the nurses are encouraging us to ring you and let you know that this is an absolute disgrace.”

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said “we need to do a lot better…an apology is not going to cut it”.

The angry father claimed at least 80-100 people were waiting to see doctors at Westmead on Wednesday morning. Picture: 2GB

“I’m very, very sorry. Both as Health Minister and as a dad, I would not be happy at all if it was my child,” Minister Park said on 2GB.

“The experience over the last 24 hours is not good enough and we need to do better, but clearly on this occasion we let Paul and we let his daughter down.”

The Premier blamed a lack of staff for the wait time blow-outs. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Premier Chris Minns on Wednesday said the health minister would talk to the father and management at the hospital today.

“We’re doing everything we can right now to turn around the performance of western Sydney emergency departments,” he said.

Minister for Health Ryan Park said an apology won’t cut it and they need to do better. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Monique Harmer

“I realised that for a family, for a father that’s waiting for urgent treatment for their child that’s going to be cold comfort, having waited the entire night for the help from doctors, and the health system in New South Wales.

“We’re investing in it and we expected turnaround but I completely understand why a parent waiting overnight in an emergency department saying that’s not quick enough. And I don’t want to wait any more.”

He added the issue came down to staffing.

“It really does come down to staffing in particular (in) emergency departments in busy Western Sydney hospitals,” he said.

“We’re seeing an unprecedented demand on those health services.

“But we need to make the investment particularly in the people that work and have devoted their professional lives to the care of people in New South Wales.”

Originally published as ‘Excruciating pain’: inquiry after girl’s 12-hour wait at Westmead Hospital