By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
WHEN a life is at risk, a hospital seems the safest place to be.
But that wasn’t the case for Cranbourne disabled adult Corey McDonald, when staff at the Dandenong Hospital couldn’t operate ceiling hoists needed to lift him in and out of his wheelchair.
After four hours in the hospital waiting room Corey’s father, Bruce started to worry. But he soon realised the problem most likely wouldn’t be Corey’s health – but the hospital’s inability to service and maintain their ceiling hoists.
“It’s not the first time we’ve had this problem and we wouldn’t be the only families having these issues,” Bruce told the News.
After the five and half hour ordeal, Monash Health Hospital staff tried six ceiling hoists to lift Corey, four of which were uncharged and one of which displayed a service sticker dated May 2015.
Corey’s parents, Christine and Bruce, are calling the incident “ludicrous”.
It began on Wednesday 29 June, when Corey came down with a cough.
“Corey was having trouble breathing when laying down, he was gasping for breath, we knew it was not normal,” Christine said.
The McDonalds rushed Corey in their fitted-out van to the closest hospital with ceiling hoists.
“We were rushed through which was excellent – the first hoist was charged and worked and after an examination and medication we were right to come home,” Christine said.
“There are two hoists in each bay, but neither worked – at one stage we had five staff members playing around with it trying to get the hoists to work.”
The McDonalds were told by staff that the hoists were rarely used.
Bruce said a staff member from another ward who apparently knew how to operate the hoists was called to assist, but declined.
“In the end a working hoist was found but a patient who was in a four-bedded emergency room had to be moved out,” Christine said.
But before this working hoist was located, the McDonalds were told an ambulance would have to be called to transport their son home.
“An ambulance could have taken hours and needless to say, been an absolute waste of resources,” Bruce said.
“An ambulance should be there for emergencies, not for general transport because expensive equipment can’t be used.”
A spokesperson from Monash Health told The News: “Our hoists are on regular maintenance schedules and meet all Australian Standards.
“Monash Health is in ongoing discussion with the family involved in this matter and we have apologised for any distress caused on this occasion,” they said.
The McDonalds want to see Monash Health management take responsibility for the competency of their staff and functionality of the ceiling hoists.
“It is ludicrous to equip a redeveloped emergency department with expensive equipment and then fail to ensure it is operational and ensure there are trained staff familiar with its use,” Bruce said.
