Hospital staff 'ignored' man clutching chest in agony

Kasey Robertson and Maryam Enoka outside the Emergency Department of Hawke's Bay Fallen Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, Hastings.

Several bystanders scrambled to bring an overweight man believed to be suffering a heart attack inside Hawke's Bay Hospital after staff ignored pleas for help, witnesses say.

But a hospital spokeswoman said the man was within the emergency department in 10 minutes.

Hastings woman Kasey Robertson said she was waiting for her sister to undergo surgery in the hospital's emergency department about 12pm yesterday, when a woman ran in asking for help.

"A woman ran in quite upset saying, someone please help me, my neighbour's having a heart attack, I need help getting him out of the car."

But Ms Robertson said the receptionists in the waiting room ignored the woman's pleas.

"No one moved, no one did anything."

Up to six bystanders helped to remove the man from the vehicle, which was parked illegally at the emergency entrance, and bring him into the hospital.

She said no Hawke's Bay District Health Board (DHB) staff had assisted them.

Maryam Enoka offered the wheelchair her grandson was in to transport the man inside. "My grandson was in a wheelchair with a fractured leg. People were panicking trying to find a wheelchair but they were all being used."

She also helped remove the man from the car.

"It was upsetting. There were no medical staff - not even one."

Once the man was in the waiting room, DHB staff asked him to fill out some paperwork.

"They got him to sign medical documents and the poor guy couldn't even open his eyes."

Ms Robertson said she finally lost her cool.

"By this time I was yelling at the people behind the desk, while [the man] was screaming for help and holding his chest, saying he couldn't breathe. It was disgusting. I couldn't believe it - I felt sick to my stomach."

She said it had taken up to 11 minutes for the man to receive medical attention after his arrival.

Makareta Paku said the man was her cousin, Taranaki Hokianga of Hastings. She said his neighbour transported him to hospital. Upon arriving at the hospital, she was surprised by how long it took for her cousin to receive attention.

"They were more concerned with paperwork. I was really surprised that I had to ask them, how long is it going to be? All I could do was burst into tears." She said Mr Hokianga was overweight and aged in his 60s. It was not yet clear whether he had suffered a heart attack.

A hospital spokeswoman said Mr Hokianga "was appropriately treated as a triage two patient and was within the department in 10 minutes".

"Waiting times are not impacted at all for life-threatening conditions despite how busy [the department] is.

"However during busy times those with minor illnesses and injuries may have to wait longer as staff prioritise emergency situations.

"The district health board endeavours to provide the highest standard of care to its patients. We are sorry that in this instance it did not appear to those watching that this was happening."

She said the DHB advised "anyone who calls an ambulance in an emergency situation to wait for the ambulance as paramedics are trained and have equipment with them to deal with cardiac and other life-threatening conditions and can alert [the department] they are on their way".

Mr Hokianga was in a stable condition in hospital last night.