A man suffering from a painful abscess has been stuck in a hospital bed forfive days whilewaiting for emergency surgery at the new $1.5bn Footscray Hospital in Melbourne’s west, with his partner saying she was upset that the 30-minute procedure had been cancelled multiple times.
Rose said her partner Pat, from Sunshine West, presented to an urgent care clinic on Sunday afternoon with a recurring perianal abscess – a painful, swollen, pus-filled collection of tissue and fluid near the anal passage.
She said he was told to instead go to the nearest emergency department.
The couple, who withheld their surnames, presented to Footscray Hospital, where Pat was seen relatively quickly, admitted and given immediate pain relief.
But instead of being sent into surgery and discharged home, Pat, as of Thursday, remained in a hospital bed in the colorectal department, with no staff able to tell him when the surgery would be completed.
Rose said he had been fasting every day from about 2am to 10pm, hoping to be admitted through the morning or evening list, but was routinely bumped by those needing lifesaving treatment.
She said that while her partner’s condition was not serious, the abscess was an open wound next to his anal passage, meaning it was highly likely to become infected.
“Any bowel movement can trigger infection and, at worst, sepsis,” she said.
Rose said her partner had been placed on antibiotics, which worked to prevent infection but would not heal the wound.
“Every single day he is getting continuously bumped,” she said.
“He is in an ED where they are doing lifesaving surgery. I am not trying to argue that his surgery is more important – I am saying that he shouldn’t be there at all.
“He is taking up a bed at a very limited hospital where someone could be experiencing something life-threatening.
“An immense amount of resources is being poured into my partner, who is waiting for a very minor surgery.”
Latest figures from the Victorian Agency for Health Information show average waiting times at Footscray Hospital have risen from 118 minutes during the same period last year to 152 minutes – an increase of 34 minutes, or 28.8 per cent.
This is despite the new 500-bed, state-of-the-art hospital opening in January.
Victoria’s shadow minister for health, Georgie Crozier, said this was not the first time she had heard of Victorians spending days in hospital waiting for simple surgery.
“Under Labor, too many Victorians are waiting in pain for vital surgery while workforce shortages continue to put pressure on our health system,” she said.
Australian Medical Association president and emergency physician Dr Simon Judkins said it was “absolutely” concerning that a person was waiting such a long time for a minor, simple surgery, increasing the risk of complications.
“Just occupying a bed for five days is an expensive waste of a bed, a waste of money and a waste of the patient’s time,” he said.
“There is a problem with the mismatch (in demand and resources) – there is not enough theatre time, not enough surgeons.
“Those are the issues.”
Jason Plant, acting chief operating officer of Western Health which oversees Footscray Hospital, said he could not comment on individuals, but all patients were assessed and prioritised according to the urgency of their clinical needs.
“We understand that waiting for care can be distressing for patients and their loved ones,” Mr Plant said.
“We take all complaints seriously and are committed to working with patients, consumers, their families and regulators to address concerns and improve care.”
Health minister Ingrid Stitt referred questions to Western Health.
Western Health performed 15,374 planned and 12,777 emergency surgeries last financial year.
Premier Ben Carroll this week announced a $1.5bn election commitment to bolster staff and cut wait times at 12 hospitals, including Footscray.