Australian GP fights bureaucracy to get emergency help

A Queensland rural doctor, voted Australia's best GP for this year, was refused an emergency helicopter for a patient who suffered a heart attack. Dr Rachel Yarvey of Glenden, a mining town 180km west of Mackay, was 'told to ring around hospitals herself to find a bed for her patient on December 4 before the helicopter would be dispatched.

"It's just outrageous, an absolute disgrace ... that's not the doctor's job ... it could have been the difference between life and death," said Dr Harvey, 39. She said she spent about 35 minutes arguing on the telephone with Queensland Health and Queensland Ambulance Service. She then called a senior Queensland Health officer at Townsville Hospital and was again given the run-around but eventually got the helicopter and her cardiac patient was transferred to Mackay hospital and her life saved.

"It was all about politics - not patient care," she said. Dr Harvey said the first priority should be getting the patient to hospital before asking questions.

The article above is by Darrell Giles and appeared in the Brisbane "Sunday Mail" on December 16, 2007





"Haphazard" treatment at Australian public hospital leads to toddler's painful death

SYSTEMIC failures in the treatment of Ryan Saunders at the Rockhampton Base Hospital were likely to have contributed to the toddler's tragic death. The Courier-Mail has learnt an internal investigation by Queensland Health heavily criticised the hospital's haphazard approach to the two-year-old's care. It found necessary blood tests were not undertaken and Ryan should have been in intensive care but was sent to a ward because the unit lacked pediatric staff.

Ryan died after a harrowing and painful ordeal in Rockhampton when a Group A streptococcal infection went undetected and he developed toxic shock syndrome. The circumstances of Ryan's death, first revealed in The Courier-Mail last month, have outraged the community in his hometown of Emerald and horrified people throughout the state.

The findings, which were not released at the request of Ryan's family, have prompted a significant overhaul of procedures in every Queensland public hospital. The case also has been referred to the Health Quality and Complaints Commission for further investigation.

Health Minister Stephen Robertson met with Ryan's father Terry in Rockhampton yesterday to express his sympathies. "Terry Saunders is just one of the most decent people I have met in my life and for this to happen to his family, your heart goes out to them," Mr Robertson said. Mr Robertson said he felt an obligation on behalf of the family to prevent a repeat of the tragic circumstances. The Saunders family declined to comment.

Ryan, who would have celebrated his third birthday earlier this month, was originally thought to have died on September 26 from a twisted bowel. He was sent from Emerald Hospital to Rockhampton for an ultrasound but instead spent the night in severe pain in a ward bed. His infection was not discovered until 24 hours after Ryan arrived at Rockhampton but it was too late.

There have been 32 cases of Group A streptococcal infections in children aged under five years in Queensland over the past two years but it is unknown how many of these developed toxic shock. The team investigating the tragedy recommended more extensive blood tests for all children in Queensland hospitals and a review of Rockhampton's intensive care unit roster. It also called for the introduction of new observation rules for children and toxic shock education for pediatric staff at all hospitals.

Source