Survivor now homeless after telling story of alleged Launceston General Hospital nurse abuse

Telling the truth has cost Ben Felton everything. What allegedly happened to him at Launceston General Hospital during five terrifying minutes has stayed with him forever – and harms him still. VIDEO

Telling the truth has cost Ben Felton everything.

Mr Felton was just 13 years old when he was admitted to Launceston General Hospital’s paediatric ward with pneumonia.

What allegedly happened to him there – during five terrifying minutes at the hands of a paedophile nurse – has stayed with him forever.

That was in the 1980s, with his alleged perpetrator only stood down in 2021 after Mr Felton told his story on The Nurse podcast.

The Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government's Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings has held its final hearing in Hobart, Ben Felton. Picture: Chris Kidd

“It took 32 years to have that man removed from hospital,” Mr Felton told the Mercury.

But despite his bravery, Mr Felton’s challenges are far from over – and the trauma of speaking publicly has now rendered him homeless on the streets of Adelaide.

Last year, he publicly spoke out during Tasmania’s child sexual abuse commission of inquiry about what happened to him, and how the abuse was allegedly covered-up when he repeatedly told the troubled hospital – in the 1980s and again in 2003.

He’s furious it took three decades to get any action.

“To finally get it out there, to get my hands on this bastard to make sure he wouldn’t do it to somebody else – it put so much stress on my relationship that it’s over. I’ve ended up homeless, in and out of mental health rooms, suicide prevention rooms,” he said.

“It’s cost me everything.

“The stress it’s put on my family and my friends, it’s been too much. It’s been just too much on their shoulders.”

Survivor Ben Felton flew to Hobart for the final address from the child sexual abuse commission of inquiry. Picture: Chris Kidd

Mr Felton slammed Tasmania’s health care system, which he accused of “deliberate cover-ups” and “deliberate failures every step of the way”.

“It’s all been covered up to save reputations,” he said.

Mr Felton flew to Hobart to hear Wednesday’s commission of inquiry closing address.

“I’m not worried about me anymore. I just want to make sure my kids are okay and that no other kid is ever going to have to go through what I went through. It was f … ing terrifying, absolutely f … ing terrifying and that feeling will never leave me,” he said.

“It’s cost me everything, but I’ve made sure this bastard is not going to touch another kid.”

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