27-year-old Supreet Kaur had her life support turned off at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital last week. Her family members have told that Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth ignored her GP’s repeated recommendations for a CT scan.
An engineers with John Holland, Ms. Kaur visited her GP on October 17 complaining of headaches and painful, discoloured fingers and feet. GP recommended a CT scan at the FSH emergency department.
However, her father Avtar Singh told that a nurse at the hospital rejected the GP’s recommendation and took blood samples and sent her home with painkillers.
Mr Singh said the GP was annoyed to hear about the response when they returned for the blood tests the next day.
Ms. Kaur was again sent to FSH’s emergency department after her condition deteriorated. She was vomiting frequently, having trouble walking and had become sensitive to light.
Ms. Kaur remained in the hospital for the next three days. Her family claims she was still not given a CT scan and was instead given steroids and the hospital ran other tests.
A CT scan was only done after Ms. Kaur collapsed in a hospital toilet. The scan revealed clotting and bleeding on the brain.
Supreet was then transferred to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital for an emergency surgery she could not be saved.
The family believes Supreet’s condition was not taken seriously enough, despite her twice being sent to the emergency department.
They cannot understand the apparent reluctance to do a CT scan.
“I lost my daughter. I lost my everything,” Mr. Singh said.
“I don’t want other West Australians to lose their loved ones like this. I don’t appreciate and I don’t like the service which has been provided,” he told The West Australian.
Acting executive director Paul Mark said the hospital was reviewing the care provided to Ms. Kaur.
“We extend our sincere condolences to the patient’s family and have made contact with the family to offer our support,” Dr. Mark said.
“We will continue to keep the family involved and informed.”
