Apology for agony of delay

The health board has apologised to Faye Baker. Photo / Doug Sherring.

A woman sent home from hospital without treatment for a broken hip says she was in so much pain she considered suicide.

And now Faye Baker wants to know why no one at the hospital listened as she cried in pain over six days during two separate admissions.

Counties Manukau District Health Board are investigating the 68-year-old Manurewa woman's treatment.

Board chief medical officer Dr Gloria Johnson has apologised for mistakes made during Baker's treatment, but said the nature of the break meant it was not visible in the first x-ray.

Baker's ordeal began when she fell on April 5, was taken to Middlemore Hospital and diagnosed with bruising before being discharged on April 7.

Staff told her to walk despite the pain, which remained "excruciating" when she was discharged, she said.

Three days later she was desperate.

"I was suicidal, I was screaming and crying from the pain. It was either go back or order a coffin."

Baker, a food packer, called an ambulance and was re-admitted to Middlemore.

She received pain relief but it was four days before x-rays were done. They showed a break and a hip replacement operation followed.

Baker, with the help of an advocate from the Nationwide Health and Disability Service, complained to the board about the delay in getting further x-rays.

Her GP, Selva Kumar, saw the first x-ray and also could not see the break. That was sometimes the case when a person suffered an impacted fracture, which would not become apparent until another movement displaced the break.

However, Baker's ongoing pain should not have been ignored by hospital staff, he said.

"It's disappointing ... her symptoms should have been taken more seriously."

Dr Johnson, who commented on the case with Baker's consent, said ongoing pain was consistent with soft tissue injuries and Baker was able to walk.

"We will be reviewing the process and we apologise to Mrs Baker for this delay. It is also of concern to us that Mrs Baker feels that staff did not adequately acknowledge and respond to the degree of pain she was experiencing during the first admission and we apologise for that."

The board had written to Baker and she had offered to meet her, Dr Johnson said.

Baker has not yet decided whether to do so, but hoped no one else suffered like she had.

"Anytime I talk about my pain I just burst into tears."