"Lack of clinical decision making and leadership led to poor outcomes"

I spent a prolonged period of time in Ward 28 Urology at the RAH last year. One positive I will say is all the nurses were fantastic person centre caring and attentive individuals. I couldn’t fault the nurses one bit or the junior doctors or clinical fellows.

As for the consultants? I’ve never had such a poor experience in my whole life with medical professionals. I have never in my life complained about treatment I’ve received from a medical professional until I had my experience with this ward. 

I was admitted with sepsis and was in for 3 weeks during one admission and lack of clinical decision making and leadership led to poor outcomes. I was spiking a temperature, not eating, vomiting  and extremely unwell for weeks. No surgical intervention was given for 3 weeks due to one surgeon needing to make the decision and being on call, so unavailable. 

Each morning I was met with a different decision by a different surgeon who hadn’t spoken to the last. I was continually told one surgeon had to make the decisions but, they were on call and I didn’t see them for 3 weeks until I called to make a complaint and my family emailed to complain.

One surgeon would speak about me at the foot of my bed to other doctors and not acknowledge my presence or explain anything about my own health. There was one  surgeon who sat and explained things to me and treated me like a human being, who I will remember for treating me so well. That was one small interaction and the only positive interaction I had with any of the surgeons on ward 28.

The lack of decision making led to a delay in treatment, which now means my kidney is only functioning at 17%. I have received no apology from the surgeons for the treatment I was given on the ward.

I would also say the junior doctors are left in charge of multiple busy wards with little help from the consultants. You can see the ni or doctors are overworked and burnt out with a lack of guidance and support from their senior clinicians.

In my experience, the conduct of the surgeons on this ward and how they manage patients' health needs/communication between all surgeons seriously needs to be reviewed.