The grieving family of a Swan Hill mother who died last November have accused Swan Hill District Health (SHDH) of failing her through a lack of care and support.
Leonie Capone, 58, died at home, surrounded by family, shortly after 3am on November 16, 2016.
Daughter Carmen Capone doesn’t blame the hospital for her mother’s fatal lung cancer but has demanded answers from SHDH about the months leading up to her painful death.
In a five-page complaint dated November 25, 2016, sent to the palliative care manager and seen by The Guardian, the hospital is accused of having “showed no empathy for my mother when she was referred for her scans” and “being left alone in an empty room in the dark by herself waiting for a bed availability”.
In a letter sent to Ms Capone, the hospital acknowledged its “processes were lacking” and offered a sincere apology and regret.
Mrs Capone was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2012 after she complained of a shortness of breath.
“Swan Hill District Health had showed no empathy for my mother when she was referred there for her scans by an (Bendigo) oncologist,” Ms Capone said.
“The radiologist informed my mother that, ‘they won’t just turn their machines on there … even with a doctor’s referral’.”
Ms Capone said her mother had to cross her fingers and hope to not get an infection before her scans on the Monday. But, by the Sunday she was admitted to hospital with a fever infection.
A year later, scans showed the cancer had spread.
During Mrs Capone’s final chemotherapy appointment in Swan Hill, her daughter claimed she suffered an allergic reaction from medication.
“From that day on she would only receive treatments from oncology at Bendigo,” Ms Capone said.
However, Mrs Capone’s husband, Dom, took his “ill and shivering” wife to the Swan Hill Emergency Department at 2am on November 12, 2016.
“All I remember is witnessing my very ill mother being left alone in an empty room in the dark by herself waiting for a bed availability,” Ms Capone said.
“She didn’t have a bed until that afternoon.”
Ms Capone said a doctor “forcefully” told her mother staff would insert a “Nuki Pump” into her stomach.
“[The doctor] gave my mother no alternatives or choice in the matter. [The doctor] turned to me and said, ‘your mother fully understands the progress of the cancer and process of this drug’,” she wrote.
Ms Capone said she contacted her mother’s [Bendigo] oncologist, while her mother was in emergency, who said: “The pump is the last resort; your mum will know when she is ready and she should have been offered an alternative choice as she can take a tablet form of morphine or an oral liquid.”
Ms Capone said a nurse urged her mother to make her own decision regarding the use of the pump.
She said the palliative care service then missed a scheduled appointment with the family in her mother’s hospital room and later failed to return calls.
Meanwhile, Mrs Capone, with the support of her family, chose to leave emergency with the assurance the hospital would organise palliative care for her the following morning.
However, palliative care didn’t visit Mrs Capone’s home as promised on November 15, 2016.
“Mum really wanted a shower which took me over two hours to do with the constant stopping for oxygen,” Ms Capone wrote in her letter to the hospital.
Ms Capone said her father was outraged when he received a call from palliative care the day after his wife had died, asking how the family was coping.
SHDH chief executive officer Ted Rayment was unable to answer The Guardian’s questions pertaining to Ms Capone’s complaint.
“SHDH is unable to comment on the details of individual patient care. However, (we) wish to advise there has been an extensive review of this complaint including the involvement of the family with the safety, quality and risk unit, palliative care services, executive and clinical services representatives at the hospital,” Mr Rayment said in a written statement.
Mr Rayment wrote that a review had focused on handover processes and further education for clinical staff to minimise the risk of communication gaps in the future.
“Patients or their representatives who are dissatisfied with the response from their health service are encouraged to contact the health complaints commission directly who provide independent services relating to complaints,” he said.
Health authorities apologise to family
SWAN Hill District Health has apologised to the family upset over the treatment of their dying mother.
In a response, sent to Carmen Capone on January 25, 2017, director of medical services Dr Ka Chun Tse acknowledged that various processes were lacking and offered sincere apologies and regret.
“The discussion with the (Bendigo) oncologist around managing the pain and other symptoms that Leonie was experiencing was not well explained by medical or nursing staff and the subsequent plan around day/overnight leave and possible discharge were not well understood by our staff,” Dr Ka Chun Tse wrote.
“The communication between the acute ward nurse and community palliative care reception staff resulted in a delay in the palliative care nurse being informed of Leonie’s discharge and the need for follow up at home.
“We have, as we committed to do, reviewed our processes and implemented a number of changes.”
Dr Ka Chun Tse noted the hospital now had a process for supporting people at home who needed additional or changed medication outside pharmacy hours.
In Ms Capone’s complaint, she claimed the hospital said it would need to see the patient before discharging medication overnight, but by that stage Mrs Capone was “bed ridden”.
“SHDH has reviewed the admission process for community palliative care patients to enable direct admission to the ward,” Dr Ka Chun Tse wrote.
“I also put in clear guidelines, which have been agreed to by the visiting medical officers, relating to after-hours access to individual doctors when clinically indicated.
“Please accept our condolences at this time of sadness and loss. I hope that you will find some comfort in knowing that your willingness to discuss your concerns with us will help other patients and their families in our provision of end of life care.”
Mr Rayment added that the health service receives “many positive comments and compliments” about the palliative care service provision.
“However, we have taken the feedback from the families very seriously and reviewed our systems and processes to optimise care for all our patients and their families/carers,” he said.
