Heart patient waits four hours for doctor

2nd July 2009

A RETIRED paramedic who was admitted to Ipswich Hospital with a suspected heart attack has revealed it took doctors four hours to treat him.

Ted Shepherd, 79, was sent to the hospital by registered nurses at his North Ipswich home after suffering chest pain and shortness of breath.

But when he arrived the emergency department was overflowing and Mr Shepherd, who has a history of chronic cardiac failure, was left to wait on an ambulance trolley.

Queensland Health admitted the emergency department was at capacity for several hours on the day, but a senior emergency nurse had assessed Mr Shepherd on arrival.

Mr Shepherd said the hospital would have had no way of knowing the extent of his condition, because he was not assessed by a doctor and no heart monitoring equipment was used.

“For almost four hours they did not even consider me,” Mr Shepherd said.

“Shortness of breath can lead to a heart attack, which is why they should have done more. I could have gone into a coma or anything.

“At one stage there were 12 ambulance officers there, so six ambulances were tied up which should have been helping people in need of immediate care.”

He was eventually assessed by a doctor who diagnosed Mr Shepherd's condition as being caused by his medication.

Mr Shepherd added: “The hospital's treatment is fine - as long as you don't die before you get it.”

Queensland Health district chief executive Pam Lane said on the afternoon in question about 20 patients were admitted, many in a serious condition.

“The department was at capacity for a number of hours and some patients were waiting in the care of Queensland Ambulance Service paramedics to be seen,” Ms Lane said.

“We acknowledge this is not an ideal situation. However, we feel the patient was being appropriately cared for and was presented by the ambulance service as non-life-threatening.

“All patients are assessed by a senior emergency nurse.”

Ms Lane said Ipswich Hospital's emergency department had been identified as a high priority area as part of the hospital's expansion.

“Increased resources and a redevelopment of the department will allow a better flow of patients and create extra treatment spaces.”

Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon toured Ipswich's emergency department yesterday.

She said $6.7m had been allocated to the department in the federal budget.

She told The Queensland Times: “Plans are now afoot to see what can be done with that money to expand Ipswich's emergency department, which is one of the busiest in the state.”

Ms Roxon said the Federal Government would consider taking over the public health system if a yet-to-be-released report by the Health and Hospital Reform Commission recommended it.