- Elderly couple denied hospital treatment
- Daughter’s complaints ignored, probe launched
- Influenza A confirmed as cause of death
Health chiefs have launched an investigation into the hospital at the centre of negligence accusations after the Daily Mail revealed an elderly couple died within two days of being denied medical treatment.
Margaret Wing, 64, and Steven Jackson, 76, died of Influenza A on November 16 after a worker at Inverell Hospital, in northern NSW, allegedly told them there were no available doctors.
The couple had fallen ill and, as their health deteriorated, Ms Wing called the hospital on Friday, November 14 seeking help.
She was allegedly told they could not be seen until after the weekend.
Tragically, they were both then found unresponsive at their home on Sunday evening.
The couple's daughter, Mandy Wing, blames the hospital for their deaths, but her initial complaint went unanswered.
Now Daily Mail can reveal that the circumstances surrounding her parents' death are being reviewed by officials in the wake of the tragedy and the Daily Mail's coverage.
But Ms Wing says that while she is glad action is being taken, nothing will make up for her loss.
'They said they are putting policies in place,' she said. 'Great for the future but unfortunately not for my parents.'
Ms Wing maintains she believes her parents' deaths were preventable.
'If my mum or dad got to see a doctor, one of them, or maybe both of them, would still be alive.'
Ms Wing added that 'we live in Australia and this sort of thing just shouldn't happen'.
The young mother said her parents initially became unwell with what seemed like a small sniffle, but after being unable to secure a doctor's appointment in town, their symptoms rapidly worsened.
'It turned into the flu and they were really unwell,' she said.
'I have never seen my dad so weak like that, so they decided to pack a bag and mum called the hospital.
'She asked if she could see a doctor and when one would be available, and she was told she would have to wait until Monday because there was no doctor available.'
Concerned there had been a misunderstanding, Ms Wing said she rang the hospital herself.
'I spoke to the nurse who answered the phone with "hello, emergency", and I stressed how sick they were. Mum was wobbly on her feet and I knew they needed medical help.
'The nurse was a bit rude really. Maybe they were understaffed, maybe she was trying her best, but that's no excuse. They have a duty of care and I was just told there was no doctor available.'
Ms Wing's parents were found unresponsive at their home by her 18-year-old son two days later, on Sunday evening.
'We offer our sincere condolences to Ms Wing for the death of her parents,' a Hunter New England Local Health District spokesman told the Daily Mail.
'We are reviewing the circumstances surrounding the family's contact with Inverell Hospital and have contacted Ms Wing to discuss her concerns.
'NSW public hospitals will never turn people away needing urgent or emergency treatment.
'Inverell Hospital continues to provide safe, high-quality emergency care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.'
The spokesman insisted patients are given other options if a doctor is not on site.
'Patients are supported through on-demand virtual care, with specialist emergency medicine doctors working closely with our highly skilled local nursing staff to guide diagnosis, treatment, admission decisions and, where required, transfer to other facilities,' they said.
But Ms Wing said it was not until after her parents died that she was informed they could have received alternative assistance.
'We didn't know they could go by ambulance and be seen at Armidale Hospital, which is about an hour and a half drive from here,' she said.
'We were never told they could still go to emergency at Inverell and access the digital doctor service.
'The nurse simply said there was no doctor until Monday November 17.'
The NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park also offered his condolences to the family while maintaining that emergency care is available for everyone.
'My heartfelt sympathies go to the family for their loss,' he said.
'I want to be very clear, EDs will never turn away people requiring emergency care or treatment.
'I understand the local health district is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the family's contact with the hospital and that the family is being updated as that progresses.'
Ms Wing says she is still trying to come to terms with her devastating loss.
'I'm mentally not okay,' she admitted. 'I'm trying to be, but my kids all miss them. I can't grieve because who loses their parents at the same time? It doesn't feel real.
'I just don't want this to happen to anybody else.'
Read more- Heartbreaking: Daughter demands justice after parents die of flu following alleged hospital refusal for care—what went wrong?
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- What dire experiences inside Adelaide hospitals drove a grieving father's heartfelt plea during a harrowing inquest?
- How did a routine hospital visit in NSW lead to a baby's mysterious death, triggering a police investigation into potential foul play?
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