Positive public care story

[Blossom]

So, some of you may have read that I'm currently pregnant.

I've had a few problems with my kidneys through the pregnancy and a week and a half ago I had more. I had a scan, blood tests etc. When I went to the gp for my results he had a mini meltdown and was telling me to go straight to A&E. When he was writing my referral he calmed down a bit and said I could go first thing Monday (this was Saturday) as I wasn't in pain or peeing blood any more.

Of course, having grown up with 'don't go to A&E unless you are half dead', I phoned up to book in with a dr at the maternity department at flinders public instead (they have been keeping an eye on my kidneys).

They got me in first thing Tuesday morning. The dr wasn't totally sure what to do next so phoned up a renal dr. After explaining everything to him he said that he would come right over to see me. Nice I thought, then she starts explaining where flinders hospital is! He drove over from the repat hospital!

Apparently flinders doesn't have a renal department. I thought that was amazing service.

[Guest Claire-n-tel]

I know they'll always be people that have awful stories and opinions about every hospital......but....I'm firmly with you on this one Blossom, I don't remember the first time in Flinders but Tel says they were fantastic and I spent 4 months at the repat and I can't speak highly enough of them......makes you feel all warm and fuzzy eh?!

 

TBH I would not be where I am today had I had my accident in the UK. Every cloud has a silver lining eh?!

[wizzywozza]

I've always had a positive experience at Flinders too. They were fantastic last weekend when my 4 year old granddaughter ended up in their ED on Saturday evening. Hubby has been there for a few things recently, and I've had several visits and all have been expedient and satisfactory.

 

I'm just hoping they do still have a renal clinic as I'm currently waiting for an appointment with a consultant there!

[Jessica Berry]

OH had a minor op (day surgery) at Noarlunga Hospital and we can't praise them enough. The care and level of service my OH received was by far at a higher level than when I accompanied my brother twice in the UK to a private hospital for a procedure. I find some Australians are critical of the public health system here, but they have nothing to compare it to as this is all they know and I usually say to them "you don't know how lucky you are". I was saying to an Aussie friend that my dad had to wait for 2 weeks for an appointment to see the Doctor in our UK home town and she said "is that to see a specialist?"! When I told her that it was just to see a local GP the look on her face was priceless!

[Blossom]

I've always had a positive experience at Flinders too. They were fantastic last weekend when my 4 year old granddaughter ended up in their ED on Saturday evening. Hubby has been there for a few things recently, and I've had several visits and all have been expedient and satisfactory.

 

I'm just hoping they do still have a renal clinic as I'm currently waiting for an appointment with a consultant there!

 

They told me that if/when I need stents put in to keep my kidneys open it will be at the repat hospital due to no renal department at Flinders. Apparently they are linked to flinders along with I think, noarlunga hospital. I've had all my scans and a blood test at the repat and thought they were great, so I'm perfectly happy at having my surgery there rather than flinders.

[Blossom]

Ohhhh yer, they did tell me next time I have pain or bleed to go to A&E at flinders and tell them I need stents putting in NOW, so I assume they will just move me to the repat? Although they have said I'll need them replacing every four weeks, so maybe it's just after the first op that I'd be scheduled in at the repat? Who knows lol.

[wizzywozza]

I think perhaps there is just a consulting clinic at Flinders. It sounds as though you are having a bit of a rough time Blossom ...... I hope things improve for you.

 

 

Just want to add that my granddaughter had her tonsils and adenoids out in April at the WCH ...... they were fantastic too according to my daughter and Willow made a super fast recovery. The only downside for her was that they gave her RED jelly for tea and she wanted BLUE so had a bit of a tantrum ............ kids eh?

[Guest Husky]

Its good to hear stories like these...unfortunately our story is different. Daughter was admitted to Flinders. They called her a drama queen who was just having bad period pain...when in fact it was toxic shock...we nearly lost her..if it wasn't for the private system who listened to us and acted..she would be dead now. I will never allow my children to be treated at Fliders a@e again.

Glad to hear you are okay

[Guest Claire-n-tel]

Its good to hear stories like these...unfortunately our story is different. Daughter was admitted to Flinders. They called her a drama queen who was just having bad period pain...when in fact it was toxic shock...we nearly lost her..if it wasn't for the private system who listened to us and acted..she would be dead now. I will never allow my children to be treated at Fliders a@e again.

Glad to hear you are okay

 

Oooh yuc

To be fair though abdominal pain is not really a symptom of TSS. If they called my daughter a drama queen (even if she was being) I would be making a big formal complaint about that member of staff

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

Health care and reports of experiences really are a mixed bag. I think that like everything else it's a matter of who you get on that particular day.

i have a family member who is very ill. They have had monor ops at Noarlunga and at Repat and are full of praise for the treatment received. Due to budgetary constraints treatment has now been centralised at Flinders. Flinders has been a bit of a hit and miss...great treatment for the grandkids but almost a big issue with my daughters last pregnancy / birth. She was sent home from Flinders on an evening after her waters broke and my OH insisted that she go back there immediately....the baby was born in the waiting room 45 minutes later! One "iffy" doctor compared to outstanding treatment from everyone else!

[Guest Husky]

Ordinarily I would agree with you Claire..but they missed the swollen fallopian tube that was clearly seen on her scan!!! Far too busy putting tick marks on getting patients out of Flinders rather than addressing the real cause.

I used to moan about the NHS in the uk..but they were brilliant where our kids were concerned..here the "you'll be alright..no worries" just doesn't cut it where your kids health is concerned. The guilt of not shouting louder and following your gut instinct will stay with me and my wife forever.

Yes we are bitter ...I used to moan to my wife every month when the bupa hospital payment came out..waste of money!!! Never again..its worth every cent!

[adelaidenow]

And the staff Who were at Flinders could now be private or moved to RAH. To say you wouldn't go back is extreme.

[Guest Claire-n-tel]

Husky it sounds like you/your daughter had a rough ride but please remember that was one set of staff on one day. Things get misdiagnosed every day by both the public and private system.

 

I for one would not be here if it was not for the staff in flinders hospital, both the public side and the private, and I will be forever grateful to them.

 

I am sure if our experiences had been reversed and my experience was not good, but yours was great we would quite possibly be beating the opposite drums.

 

Best Wishes to your daughter

[Guest Husky]

And the staff Who were at Flinders could now be private or moved to RAH. To say you wouldn't go back is extreme.

 

It might well be..but they never took the time to find out...too much of the oncall gynie refuses to come down to see such a mundane case etc, scans read wrongly, the right tests not being administered...all because they want you out of there to fulfill their quota of patients seen in x amount of time! Yes its extreme...but when you come so close to losing a child...you lose all perspective. You dont use a service you have no faith in...thats why it was good to hear a positive story.