WHEN PRIVATE HEALTH CARE FAILS

Many of us who have private health insurance would expect prompt and relevant treatment in a private hospital. This not always what happens.

A 23 girl, Natalie…., has for 2 weeks been suffering from severe abdominal pain. She went to Westmead Hospital when it started and was given Endone for pain relief and sent home. She has had several tests over the last two weeks but no explanation was found for the severe pain. Last Friday (6 July) her mother, name Laura, took her to Norwest Hospital with the hope of finding the cause of the pain. Being Friday leading to the weekend there were less facilities for testing until Monday. They had prior scans and blood test results but more was needed. To do this they paid for prioritized tests but still had to wait. The young girl has been in increasing pain requiring injections of morphine every 4 hours to function. The tests are being repeated but with delays or no explanation for what is causing the pain. The young girl feels helpless and that her condition is not being taken seriously by medical staff. As of Wednesday she is still in hospital.

She describes the pain as unbearable causing her to squirm on the ground in pain. For her it is not only causing physical pain but is impacting on her mental health not knowing how she can function on a day to day basis.

We ask that more serious attention be given to this young girl for her physical and mental well-being.