In the early hours of yesterday morning, disabled man Simon Templar, 57, was taken to the Alfred Hospital following complications with the diabetic medication Ozempic.
“I was very ill with side effects of a diabetes medication I recently started, Ozempic,” Mr Templar told VicNews.
Mr Templar called Nurse on Call who referred Mr Templar to Ambulance Victoria (AV), who transported him to the Alfred Hospital.
Around 9am yesterday, Mr Templar was discharged before collapsing outside the hospital. He was placed in a taxi before again collapsing in his driveway.
He was transported back to the Alfred by ambulance.
Whilst being re-admitted to the Alfred Hospital, Mr Templar was notified by a friend that they had returned a positive COVID test. A rapid antigen test (RAT) was requested but refused.
Mr Templar’s NDIS coordinator then contacted the Alfred Hospital on behalf of Mr Templar and requested hospital staff provide a RAT test. The test was then provided.
The test returned a negative result.
“My NDIS coordinator was contacted and attended in the afternoon to collect me and I advised him of my possible contact with COVID.
“I requested hospital staff provide a RAT test which was immediately given and luckily came back negative,” Mr Templar said.
Upon discharge, Mr Templar requested his four-wheel walker. According to Mr Templar, the hospital informed him the ambulance did not bring it.
“When it was time to leave we asked for my four-wheel walker and hospital staff said that Ambulance Victoria did not bring it.
“It was clearly labelled with my name and it was in the hospital,” Mr Templar said.
Today Mr Templar received a phone call from Alfred Hospital confirming they have the walker and to come and collect it.
Mr Templar, due to his disability, requested Alfred Hospital return it to him as he is disabled and has no way of collecting it other than by taxi.
“They refused,” Mr Templar said.
According to Mr Templar – a disabled pensioner – the Alfred Hospital told Mr Templar to come and collect it in a taxi, at his cost. A two-way taxi fare.
“I can’t afford that, why can’t they just send it to me in a taxi themselves?” Mr Templar said.
Alfred Health was contacted for comment but cited ‘patient confidentiality.’
A further response was requested from Alfred Health management but was not provided by 4pm as requested.
