Robert Ewart, also known as Bobby, has had multiple treatment problems but is most worried about his uncontrolled high blood pressure. Photo / Denise Piper
Robert Ewart, also known as Bobby, has had multiple treatment problems but is most worried about his uncontrolled high blood pressure. Photo / Denise Piper
A patient from rural Northland who is often bed-ridden from critically high blood pressure says he is not getting enough help for his ongoing health problems.
Robert Ewart, a 73-year-old from Hokianga’s Horeke, said he feels like doctors have given up on him, as four hospital visits have failed to control his extreme blood pressure.
He is also struggling to get adequate respiratory care, despite his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management being covered by ACC due to workplace exposure to asbestos.
But health officials say they are doing all they can and they are sorry Ewart feels his healthcare was inadequate.
Ewart said he has no quality of life, often spending days in bed due with pounding headaches from the high blood pressure and being unable to take more than a few steps without running out of breath.
“When things aren’t going right it can get a bit scary, if you think you’re going to die.”
Ewart’s daughter Molly Fletcher, who is his primary caregiver, believed if he had proper monitoring and care months ago when first requested, it would have avoided multiple hospitalisations and months of him being sick in bed.
Ewart’s health problems started with a bang 16 years ago when he had a cardiac arrest at home, while living in Christchurch.
While his younger daughter, then aged 14, intervened to keep the blood circulating until paramedics arrived, Ewart suffered brain damage from the event.
He had surgery to have a defibrillator implanted in his chest, but was later told the brand used, Riata, needs constant monitoring as there is a small chance of the leads failing.
Robert Ewart had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator inserted after suffering a cardiac arrest. He later found the brand used has a small chance of the leads failing.
Ewart moved up to Hokianga about six years ago, to live with Fletcher on her lifestyle block.
In the past few years, he has suffered from liver cancer, which was treated with surgery at Auckland Hospital’s liver ward in late 2020. He had a large abdominal cut which was stretched when two nurses pulled him up his bed and later got infected.
Ewart was also diagnosed with lung cancer which ACC accepted was linked to asbestosis. He had surgery in Auckland in 2021 to remove the cancer, then needed emergency surgery the next day to remove more of his lung due to a surgical error.
He has been left with chronic lung disease but said he gets very little help to manage this.
ACC has referred him to the NZ Sleep and Respiratory Institute in Auckland but there is an eight-month wait for appointments. Ewart cannot fly nor drive himself, so he and a caregiver will have to take the eight-hour round trip to Auckland for this appointment, Fletcher said.
Most recently, Ewart has had trouble controlling his blood pressure, which was initially very low and, more recently, very high.
Fletcher said last month, after Ewart’s cardiology appointment was cancelled at the last minute, he ended up going to Rāwene Hospital with critically high blood pressure – high enough to be considered a hypertensive crisis.
The doctor on duty was concerned his implanted defibrillator was malfunctioning and recommended he go directly to Whangārei Hospital ED.
With an ambulance set to be an eight-hour wait, a friend drove Ewart to Whangārei Hospital, where he received nothing other than overnight monitoring.
Fletcher complained about the lack of care and was told the hospital emergency department was not the right place to manage high blood pressure, but a cardiology appointment had been made for October 25 – seven months after another hospital doctor referred him to a cardiologist semi-urgently.
“They had sent him home the following day with no appointment until I complained,” she said.
Molly Fletcher is worried the health concerns of her dad Robert Ewart are not being addressed with proper monitoring and care. Photo / Denise Piper
She had no faith the blood pressure issues would be sorted at this appointment, as it had not been dealt with through a dozen GP appointments and four hospital visits.
Health officials sorry to hear about Ewart’s struggles
Chief medical officer for Health NZ – Te Whatu Ora Te Tai Tokerau, Dr Jennifer Walker, said it would be inappropriate to comment publicly on details of individual patient care.
“We do have empathy for Mr Ewart on his health journey and are sorry he feels he hasn’t received adequate care for his medical conditions,” she said.
“Our team is committed to upholding our organisational values of people first, respect, caring, good communication and excellence, and our priority is to provide appropriate and high-quality care for our patients; so, we take all patient concerns seriously.”
Walker said the agency assesses and ensures all procedures and associated follow-ups have been appropriate and met patient care standards.
ACC deputy chief executive service delivery Michael Frampton also said he was sorry to hear about Ewart’s gradual process and subsequent treatment injuries.
The agency has been supporting him with entitlements for asbestosis and the lung surgery error, including a lump-sum payment of $50,000.
Frampton said ACC is also funding an upcoming appointment with the sleep and respiratory clinic in Auckland later this month. He did not address why the appointments were not closer to Hokianga, saying the location was up to Health NZ.
“Robert’s not well enough to fly so we’re funding his road travel to get to the appointment. We’ve previously paid for taxis and other road transport to help Robert get to appointments,” he said.
“We rely on advice from the health professionals as to the support and care our clients need. Once we hear back from the sleep and respiratory specialist, we’ll consider what further support Robert may need.”
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
