KEY POINTS:
Botch-ups at Grey Hospital were happening well before the latest mistakes emerged, a Westport man says.
Senior hospital doctor Judy Forbes last week said patient safety was at risk from mistakes arising from a new booking system, and an "endless stream" of locums.
Her allegations were picked up in Parliament, with Health Minister David Cunliffe saying an urgent review had started.
Recent problems followed the theatre booking system being moved from surgeons and replaced by a central booking office at reception, managed by IT staff.
Dr Forbes said some patients had been put on the surgery list for the wrong procedure with the wrong anaesthetic .
Patients had received appointment letters a day after their appointment, and one patient was given the wrong medical advice by IT staff, without clinical consultations.
The claims, endorsed by Dr Forbes' colleague Susie Newton, have prompted an independent investigation by Health Ministry chief medical advisor, David Galler.
Drs Forbes and Newton have resigned.
The Westport man, who did not want to be named, said the hospital had made mistakes with his partner's care in the past year.
She had received an appointment for a pre-operative check for a colonoscopy (bowel examination) when she was supposed to be having a gastroscopy (upper digestive tract examination).
When he called the hospital to complain, the man was told "oh well, they are pretty similar" .
His partner then waited over six months for an appointment for gall bladder removal at Grey Hospital.
When an appointment arrived, her partner called the hospital only to be told that surgeon no longer performed gall bladder operations.
The woman finally had her gall bladder out last month, after an acute attack. Her gall bladder was so inflamed surgery took two hours rather than 30 minutes.
West Coast District Health Board chief executive Kevin Hague confirmed an error had been made with the woman's initial appointment advice, but it was quickly remedied.
The DHB apologised for the delay in the woman receiving her surgery.
"It is frustrating when people complain to the news media, but not to the DHB itself.
"However, if the facts of this case are as stated, then we would certainly wish to apologise to the patient concerned."
In another case, Westport man Geoff Johnson said his 80-year-old father suffered a heart attack because a junior doctor the hospital refused to change a catheter blocked for about 20 hours.
As a result, Arthur Johnson never had planned surgery, ended up in critical care, and went home with a permanent catheter in his bladder.
The doctor - who is no longer employed at the hospital - over-rode pleas from family members and nurses.
She told nurses not to change the catheter and Arthur Johnson spent the night in pain and distress, the family said.
He had a heart attack and was moved to critical care. Surgery scheduled for October 2 was cancelled.
"We cannot believe that for the lack of changing a catheter, Arthur was left in so much discomfort, pain and stress that he had a slight heart attack," the family's letter of compliant to the DHB said.
Arthur Johnson died of heart problems last month. He never had the operation and his family believed his death was hastened by Grey Hospital's treatment.
Mr Hague said the WCDHB could not discuss the case with the doctor personally, because it no longer employed the doctor.
He apologised for "the difficulties your father experienced and the distress these difficulties caused you and your family".
He would not answer Wesport News questions about the treatment, and the related decision-making process.
- NZPA
