AN already frail elderly woman’s weight plummeted by five kilos to 34kg in five days while she was at Perth’s new Fiona Stanley Hospital (FSH), but the health minister says doctors did nothing wrong.
JOYCE Tabram, 82, says her weight dropped from 39kg after she was forced to fast for five days while waiting for tests to be done at FSH.
Opposition leader Mark McGowan said it was a form of torture and gross incompetence at FSH. “This is part of a pattern of behaviour of the management of Fiona Stanley Hospital,” he told reporters on Sunday. “She could easily have died.” But Health Minister Kim Hames said Ms Tabram had a medical condition that required her to fast and she was given fluids intravenously. He said a planned medical test was delayed but her condition improved and she was still expected to have the test this week. “Even if that test had been undertaken, she still would not have been able to have food and water by mouth because of the medical condition, so her treatment was correct,” Dr Hames told reporters. “It wasn’t that she was having to continue to fast waiting for the test – she had to fast because her medical condition required that to occur.” Dr Hames said there had been miscommunication between staff and the patient and her family. “Either they haven’t understood, or haven’t been given the full amount of information,” he said. “It’s unfortunate they believe she’s been terribly treated when in fact the review of the medical notes suggests that that’s not the case.” Dr Hames was confident based on the medical notes and his own treatment of patients with the same condition that Ms Tabram was cared for appropriately. “But I do apologise to the family because clearly they don’t feel they’ve been managed well and that means there’s been a communication issue,” he said. Dr Hames said the matter would be followed up with the specialist.