Diver blames 'wrong' hospital

Marc Fraser says he would have recovered faster if taken to Middlemore straight after his accident. Photo / Supplied

A diver who fell more than 9m on to rocks and was flown to hospital and later transferred believes going to the right hospital first would have made a difference to his recovery.

Marc Fraser was searching for a diving mask when he fell more than 9m on to a rocky shelf and was swept into the sea.

Fraser, of Tairua on the Coromandel Peninsula, had been spearfishing with two others around Watchman Rock, an islet 3km off the coast south of Pauanui, in March 2015 when the accident happened.

He injured his wrist, forehead, back, right hip, ankle and shoulder in the accident.

Marc Fraser's wrist injury. Photo / Supplied

"I believe it would have further assisted my recovery if I had been taken to the right hospital at the time," he said.

Fraser said the "unnecessary pain" he was in was "detrimental" to his recovery, and if he had been taken to Middlemore Hospital first - rather than Auckland City Hospital - he would have made a "better recovery sooner".

He had recovered "pretty good considering the extent of injuries".

"I'm still in a bit of pain. Well, I'm in a lot of pain, really. My back's still sore, my wrist isn't functioning right, never will. But shit, I'm lucky."

Fraser said he was appreciative of all the help he received when he was first injured.

Melissa Nightingale