Phillip and Emma
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Phillip was an active university student when he injured his spinal cord playing sport.
Phillip’s injuries left him with no feeling below his shoulders. His mother, Emma, told the Royal Commission that while recovering from surgery in the intensive care unit and the spinal acute ward, hospital staff abused and neglected him.
Incidents included staff not making eye contact, refusing to get him things such as ice and blankets, not answering his buzzer for more than 20 minutes, not adjusting and clearing his C-PAP mask promptly, causing him to choke. He was told, ‘I can’t help you with that’, ‘I have other patients to attend to’ and ‘you don’t get any special treatment here’.
Phillip didn’t want to report these incidents because he feared repercussions but his mother couldn’t let them all slide. After her complaints, staff were sometimes assigned to different wards. This left Emma worried for other patients.
One incident caused Phillip significant injury. A trainee nurse gave Phillip a cup of tea and put the cup on his lap instead of placing it in his insulated mug. The tea spilled and, because Phillip has no feeling from the shoulders down, he didn’t realise.
No-one noticed he was wet until much later. Two nurses rushed him into a shower, but it was too late. Phillip suffered third-degree burns, needed multiple skin grafts and had to be circumcised to prevent further damage and infection. Emma was confounded. This was a spinal care unit, everyone was supposed to know the dangers of hot liquids.
While the trainee nurse was at fault, Emma believes the problem was systemic. During Phillip’s long stay there were many incidents.
Staff would argue over which patients they didn’t want to look after. They left Phillip in the bathroom unattended, causing him to black out. Shower chairs and bathrooms were not cleaned between patients. One time Emma found faeces on the floor of the shower. Phillip sustained injuries during careless bed transporting. Incorrect medication was given and incorrect meals provided – Phillip is coeliac. Other patients also told Emma about physical and sexual abuse by support workers.
Leaving hospital was a ‘scary transition’ for Phillip and his family and the experience has been awful. Emma said interacting with Centrelink has been ‘horrendous’, with long wait times, incorrect information, repetitive paperwork, disrespectful staff and a culture of disempowerment.
When it came time to leave hospital, an aged care home or group home were suggested. Emma was shocked an aged care home was even an option for such a young man.
In the end, remodelling the house to cater for Phillip’s needs seemed their only option. Emma felt they were exploited by builders and suppliers who charged unreasonable prices.
Then there was the disability support agency. Emma likened them to used ‘car salesmen’ – making a sale was the priority. Even though the agency agreement stipulated staff experienced with spinal injuries, they would send inexperienced staff. Phillip sustained injuries including a ruptured anus because of inadequately trained staff.
Emma believes serious reform is needed in the disability support sector and communitywide.
She would like to see improved training, better support and more pay for support workers.
She would like councils, developers and businesses to be required to include the needs of people with all kinds of abilities when any new building or public space is built or new business opens. She would like to see better designed footpaths, hotel rooms, hire cars and taxi services, portable equipment hire, age-appropriate equipment and adaptive clothing.
She would ‘love to live in a community where disability is removed from the conversation and no longer stigmatised’.
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.