Charlotte Varcoe
A YOUNG family have been left “traumatised” after the closure of the Mount Gambier Hospital Covid ward left them in fear for their two-week-old’s life.
Limestone Coast residents Ashleigh Sturges and Corey Broad attended the Mount Gambier and District Hospital with their two week old daughter Stella on May 25, but were left in the emergency department triage tent for hours due to the closure of the Covid-19 ward, which was closed to incoming patients on May 18.
Ms Sturges and Mr Broad attended the hospital after Stella developed a fever, several days after Ms Sturges tested positive for Covid.
She said they phoned the Mount Gambier Hospital on May 25 to inform staff about her daughter’s fever and that she was Covid-positive but was not informed about the closure of the Covid ward or that traveling to Adelaide may be a possibility.
While in the emergency department triage tent, young Stella tested positive for the virus, as did Mr Broad.
The young mother said the family was forced to wait in the emergency department tent from about 10am until 5pm, while waiting for information as to what to do next.
“We were very anxious and worried while we were waiting because Stella wasn’t herself,” Ms Sturges said.
“Stella is usually very lively but she was pretty docile the entire time which was really worrying.”
Ms Sturges said the couple were concerned about remaining in the outdoor tent should anything go wrong, and feared for their daughter’s life.
“We were worried that if Stella stopped breathing the staff may not have had the right equipment to deal with the issue straight away and we weren’t sure what would happen with her, whether they would take her from us or what would go on,” she said.
Ms Sturges said she and her partner were initially informed they would most likely be admitted to hospital, but it was not clear as to whether that was in Mount Gambier or Adelaide.
“There was heating in our cubicle but we were told we were not allowed to have it on as it would spread our Covid everywhere,” Ms Sturges said.
“Around late afternoon we were told we were definitely going to Adelaide and at about 5pm that evening we were taken into the pressure room inside the emergency department and sat there until about 10pm when we were transferred by the Royal Flying Doctor Service,” Ms Sturges said.
Ms Sturges said she felt “abandoned” by the Mount Gambier health system during her stay in Adelaide with her partner unable to be transferred with her.
“All the staff we dealt with in both Mount Gambier and Adelaide were lovely and were doing their best,” she said.
“But it would have helped so much more if we were able to be put inside in the warmth and comfort while waiting for the staff’s decision on what to do.”
She said despite testing positive to the virus, they should have been able to wait inside the emergency department’s negative pressure room or Covid ward until transport was available.
“It did cross our mind that if we had known about the closure of the Covid ward then we could have taken ourselves to Adelaide,” she said.
“It would have been risky but it definitely crossed our minds.”
Ms Sturges and Stella were discharged from the Women and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide earlier this week, with Mr Broad having to travel to bring them home despite being initially told transport would be provided.
She said she was told the two would be flown back to Mount Gambier but the flight was cancelled due to bad weather.
“They then said my partner would have to drive up and bring us home before asking if we would like to take a bus dedicated for transporting Covid-positive patients,” Ms Sturges said.
“I spoke with my partner about it and we didn’t feel comfortable having a two-week-old on a bus for five hours with someone we didn’t know so my partner ended up making the trip.”
A Limestone Coast Local Health Network spokesperson said despite the continued closure of the Covid ward at the Mount Gambier Hospital staff continued to accept all members of the community presenting to the emergency department.
The spokesperson said Covid-positive patients presenting to the hospital would continue to be assessed in the emergency department tent with many patients treated with antivirals or other treatments before being returned to the community for care under the response team.
“The small number of patients who require admission to hospital for treatment will remain in the emergency department facility which is equipped with individual cubicles with beds and heating while awaiting transfer to hospital in Adelaide,” they said.
The statement also said all patients who were to be transferred to Adelaide would receive transport back to Mount Gambier once discharged.
The Covid ward remains closed.
