Rockhampton Hospital forced to again rely on private hospitals

Rockhampton Hospital is hemorrhaging under patient overload, operating at 100 percent capacity with horror stories about patients not being able to use ED toilets, and claims others have not received important medications like insulin.

Rockhampton Hospital is hemorrhaging under patient overload, operating at 100 percent capacity with horror stories about patients not being able to use ED toilets, and claims others have not received important medications like insulin.

One elderly woman, who will remain anonymous, was told by a nurse in ED to pee or poo in her pants, according to her husband.

In another horror story, Fe Stanger said her mother, 82, was left to freeze in the facility which, in the past two months, has been forced to share its patients with other private hospitals to help with overload.

She also said her mother had not had her insulin and she was an insulin dependent diabetic.

“Her medication wasn’t charted, so she hadn’t had her medication,” she said.

“The nurse was run off his feet and so apologetic and I felt so bad for him.”

On Wednesday, the hospital had been at Tier 3, forced to rely on other hospitals for 15 days because it was at 100 percent capacity. It follows a brief reprieve after earlier being at Tier 3 for 21 days.

Fe Stanger at Rockhampton Hospital. Picture: Aden Stokes

On top of this, ramping remains high.

New quarterly Queensland Health data had revealed ambulance ramping was at 48.1 per cent between April and June this year at Rockhampton Hospital.

Ms Stanger said her mother was “stripped of her dignity” and left in “the freezing cold” and unmedicated on her visit to the hospital.

While she praised the staff, she said the facility needed help.

She also said she would like to see an independent advocate within the Emergency Department at the hospital.

Her mother, who has multiple medical conditions including diabetes, heart conditions and compromised kidneys, clearly couldn’t speak on her behalf and “she just let things happen”. She was left for hours near the ambulance drop off bay.

“She had no curtain, no privacy and everytime someone entered or exited it was a full breeze,” she said.

“She had no table so she didn’t have any access to food or fluids.”

“They had staff walking in when she was unclothed basically.”

Ms Stanger said a patient liaison officer did talk to her at the hospital.

“When I asked for mum to be moved, she said she would have to consult the patient flow officer,” she said.

“The Emergency Department was chock-full.

“She couldn’t be moved.”

Rockhampton Hospital.

Following the ordeal, Ms Stanger reached out to Independent candidate for the seat of Rockhampton Margaret Strelow and Rockhampton MP Barry O’Rourke for help.

Ms Strelow said she was ‘horrified’ by the stories.

She also shared that an elderly gentleman, who wished to remain anonymous, had contacted her and told her the story of his wife who had been at the hospital for two days.

Ms Strelow said coming into the second night in the emergency department, the man, who was in his 80s, was told his wife would not be getting into a ward that night and before he left to go home she asked to use the toilet.

“It was occupied, it was going to be a while, there was a long queue,” she said.

“A very caring and embarrassed nurse had to lean over her and tell her that whatever it was, whether you need to pee your pants or poo, just do it and we will clean you up afterwards.

“There is no dignity in that for the nurse, there is no dignity in that for the patient, there is no dignity in that for our community to have a woefully inadequate emergency department.

“It seems a small ask but what it would do is send a clear message to both the residents who need to use emergency and to the staff who do their very best that the government is listening and knows there is a big problem.”

Rockhampton Four ambulances parked outside the emergency department at the Rockhampton Hospital.

Ms Strelow is pushing for the Queensland Government to budget for at least one extra toilet at the ED at Rockhampton Hospital in the current financial year.

A Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service spokeswoman said there were seven toilets for patient use in the emergency department, with staff amenities just outside, and other public toilets available outside the ED but nearby.

CQHHS Chief Executive Lisa Blackler denied the claims a woman had been told to “pee or poo in their pants”.

“I cannot disagree more with the claims that people have been told to soil their pants while waiting in the Emergency Department,” Ms Blackler said.

She praised the hospital’s dedicated clinicians for their extremely hard work and argued the claim was incredibly insulting to the work and dedication of both clinicians and support staff who provide wonderful care for our community.

“There is no denying that Rockhampton Hospital Emergency Department is busier now than ever, as are EDs across the country, as demand for healthcare services surges,” she said.

“The safety, dignity and comfort of our patients and staff is a priority and I can assure the community there are amenities available in our ED.”

Independent candidate Margaret Strelow and Fe Stanger at Rockhampton Hospital. Picture: Aden Stokes

Mr O’Rourke said he was concerned for Ms Stanger’s mother’s wellbeing and his office contacted promptly contacted CQHHS concerns requesting that she be contacted further by medical staff.

“We advised Ms Stanger of the action taken and she was thankful,” he said.

Mr O’Rourke said they received advice from CQHHS that Ms Stanger and her mother met with the Nursing Director Critical and Emergent Care and were able to work through the issues of concern.

He praised staff and thanked them for addressing it.

Mr O’Rourke echoed Ms Blackler’s comments denying the incident a woman was told a nurse would clean her if she pooed and peed.

“Claims that patients are being asked to soil themselves are unfounded and disrespectful to the hardworking nurses and doctors who do everything possible to make sure patients are comfortable while receiving care,” he said.

“No complaints have been received about the availability of amenities within the Rockhampton Hospital.

“We are continually upgrading services in Central Queensland and all ideas put forward are considered as part of future planning.”

Rockhampton MP Barry O’Rourke.

Mr O’Rourke said the Queensland Government was funding extra beds, improved patient flow in EDs, employing additional staff and support health services within the region.

“A $940,000 investment will also expand cardiac services in Rockhampton, and $400,000 will be allocated to continue funding the Rapid Access Clinic, helping to reduce avoidable presentations from patients known to the healthcare system,” he said.

A government spokesperson from Health Minister Shannon Fentiman’s office echoed Mr O’Rourke’s comments.

Originally published as Rockhampton Hospital forced to again rely on private hospitals