Christchurch girl in ‘absolute pain’ waits four hours at hospital, given Panadol before leaving

Mandy Docherty's daughter, Holly spent four hours in Christchurch Hospital in 'writhing pain' without being treated. Photo / Supplied

The mother of a 14-year-old girl feels “terrified” about Christchurch’s health system after spending four hours in the emergency department with her daughter in severe pain, without being seen by a doctor.

Hospital staff gave the girl, Holly Docherty, Panadol and told the mother, Mandy they were “next in line” to be seen - yet never acted on the girl’s illness, which the mother believed to be endometriosis.

After four hours, Mandy took Holly home and gave her home medication as she felt it would be more help than the hospital’s treatment.

Hospital staff gave the girl Panadol and told the mother, Mandy Docherty they were “next in line” to be seen - yet never acted on the girl’s illness, which the mother believed to be endometriosis.

Mandy said her daughter awoke on Tuesday morning in “absolute pain”.

“I could hear her crying out, I could tell immediately something wasn’t right,” she said.

“I quickly realised it was beyond what I could deal with, she was in a lot of pain and I’d already given her medication so we called her an ambulance.”

After two hours of waiting, St John Ambulance staff arrived and brought the girl to hospital. The pair arrived around midday - Holly was given pain relief in the ambulance, which the mother said helped until they were dropped at the emergency department.

Holly’s pain returned, Mandy was told by hospital staff “you’re in the right place, help is on the way.” The extent of treatment, however was a couple of Panadol pills which were given when they first arrived.

“While we may have been next in line, there wasn’t any explanation around timeframes.”

Mandy suspected her daughter had endometriosis, a condition affecting one in 10 women, usually requiring surgery.

She recognised her daughter’s symptoms as similar to when she experienced it many years ago - however Mandy said Christchurch Hospital took her case a lot more seriously at the time.

“You know you’re waiting in hospital, you expect to wait, but part of the difficulty was the fact we were being told ‘yes, you’ll get help’ but it just wasn’t coming,” said Mandy.

“You’re told you’re next in line but then hours would pass, she’s still in a lot of pain and they’re just not doing anything to address it.”

Mandy ended up taking her daughter home at the four and half hour mark, she gave her more home medication but on Wednesday morning was still unwell. She’s now set for a doctor’s appointment.

The experience has “terrified” Docherty, who worries her family won’t receive necessary medical attention if they were in need.

“I can see in the news, people are already dying because of these sorts of situations happening. More people will die because of this,” she said.

“It ultimately comes down to funding, I think, for people like nurses who work incredibly hard and do best they can.”

Christchurch Hospital has been approached for comment on the matter.