Man told to make his own way to Sydney for surgery after partially severing fingers

A spokesperson for the hospital has confirmed a review into the incident is now under way, after a complaint was lodged with Bathurst Regional Council's health committee.

Councillor Warren Aubin said it defied belief that someone could suffer such a significant injury, wait hours on end in accident and emergency, only to be told he had to make his own way to a Sydney Hospital for treatment.

Aggravating the circumstances was the fact that the day the man presented to hospital was October 31, which coincided with a major flood event in the city, where 40mm of rain fell during the day, making driving even more difficult.

Cr Aubin said he could not believe the hospital asked the patient's wife, who is heavily pregnant, to drive in such horrendous conditions.

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Cr Aubin said he was contacted about the incident by the Mayor Robert Taylor, through his role on council's health committee, amidst concerns about what had occurred.

Cr Taylor had been contacted by the patient's family following the incident.

"The guy had pretty much partially cut four fingers off," Cr Aubin said.

"When they got to the hospital he sat in accident and emergency for four hours, only to be told they couldn't do anything at Bathurst for him."

"They told him and his pregnant wife that she had to drive him to Sydney for surgery.

"So they left and got out on the road when he started bleeding a lot, so between Bathurst and Lithgow they turned around and came back to the hospital, because they were so worried about him bleeding out.

"The hospital eventually got him a ride to Sydney and he was operated on that night at midnight.

"They managed to save three of the four fingers, but had to amputate the fourth, because they couldn't save it."

Cr Aubin said there were so many things wrong with the scenario he didn't know where to start.

"The fact they asked his five months pregnant wife to drive him to Sydney in that rain, with the injury he had," he said.

"Those circumstances are woeful and incomprehensible.

"How can that happen?

"It really is just horrific. He's got four fingers almost severed, he sitting in accident and emergency for four hours bandaged up and bleeding before being told to make his own way to Sydney for surgery.

"It's incomprehensible that this can happen, but that is what is happening and nothing up there has changed," he said.

A spokesperson for the Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) said the patient, a 26-year-old man, was brought to Bathurst Health Service via ambulance at approximately 1.10pm.

"He was immediately triaged and received prompt, ongoing treatment," they said.

"Specialist review determined the patient needed the high-level care of Royal North Shore Hospital hand unit.

"Weather conditions at the time unfortunately delayed urgent transfer options. Because the patient was in a stable condition, it was determined private transfer would result in a faster transfer than retrieval.

"When the patient re-presented at Bathurst at 5.30pm, approximately 45 minutes after being discharged, the patient continued to receive care until a transfer was made available."

The spokesperson said the WNSWLHD acknowledges the distress this patient experienced following a significant injury.

"A review into the care provided is under way, and Bathurst Health Service has been in contact with the patient," they said.

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