10.30am

Frank was despatched from his Queanbeyan home by ambulance to Queanbeyan Hospital Emergency Department.

10.33am

Frank arrived at Queanbeyan District Hospital Emergency Department.

10.37am

Queanbeyan Hospital Emergency Department Triage - Inaccurate Records

Queanbeyan District Hospital staff recorded incorrect information on hospital records, despite the fact Nada was in attendance with ambulance officers, and Nada had called the hospital 5 times to discuss her husband. Nada was not permitted to go to hospital with Frank due to covid protocols that kept everyone other than patients locked-out of hospitals.

Hospital Emergency Documentation incorrectly states “Family only contact over the phone for past week.”

Frank had in fact spent his “past week” (13-17 September) predominantly with three people:

• Aaron: a mechanic who regularly worked on classic cars at Frank’s shed (hours recorded in Frank’s diary);

• Naseem (Nathan): Krista’s boyfriend (Frank’s daughter’s boyfriend); and

• Alex: Naseem’s painter, who was painting the industrial shed office and residential unit in Queanbeyan for Frank all that week.

Hospital Emergency Documentation incorrectly states “Noticed pt (patient) more confused today so called NSWAS”. Nada did not ever say Frank was confused. In fact Frank was fully cognitive, and corrected Nada when she gave ambulance officers Frank’s birth year incorrectly as 1961 - Frank said “1962”.

10.43am

Queanbeyan Hospital Emergency Department Triage Summary

Emergency Documentation states:

1. Frank presented “unwell”.

2. Frank’s blood sugar level was high.

3. Frank’s respiratory rate was high at 32 breathes per minute.

4. Frank’s body temperature as low at 34.4 degrees.

5. Frank’s pulse rate was regular at 80 beats per minute.

6. Frank’s history included “recent acute renal failure, on venotolin, on novomix, on prexium”.

Queanbeyan hospital refused to contact Frank’s GP and instead elected to inaccurately record “recent acute renal failure” on his hospital records. “Recent” renal failure was untrue as Frank had not seen his GP (located 12 hours away on the Gold Coast) for anything more than his usual medical check-up since December 2019.

11.02am

Queanbeyan District Hospital NSW

Frank was taken off the ambulance stretcher.

11.25am

Nada Phone Call #1 to Queanbeyan Hospital - 4 Minute Call

Nada called Queanbeyan Hospital to speak to doctors about Frank. Nada was advised Frank had just arrived and to call back a little later.

Nada identified herself to hospital staff as Frank’s wife and his next of kin.

11.28am

Nada Phone Call #2 to Queanbeyan Hospital - 5 Minute Call

Nada called Queanbeyan Hospital again. Hospital staff advised Nada that Frank was being assessed, and he would be immediately sent to Canberra Hospital because it had “better facilities”.

The questions Emergency Department staff asked Nada to answer:

1. Did Frank have a Will?

2. Was there an enduring power of attorney in place for Frank?

3. Was Frank vaccinated?

Other questions included:

1. What type of work did Frank do.

2. Frank’s and Nada’s living arrangements.

3. When was the last time Nada saw Frank.

4. When did Frank present to be sick and his symptoms.

5. Medications Frank was taking [Nada advised Frank was taking medication for his kidneys, blood pressure, and insulin (Novomix) for diabetes.

Hospital staff did not seek to obtain Frank’s GP contact details at all. Frank had a very good relationship with his GP, and had his mobile phone saved in his phone contacts.

11.39am

Queanbeyan Hospital Progress Notes

Progress Notes state Frank’s presenting problem (the reason he was brought in by ambulance) was “hyperclycemia”, which was high blood sugar.

Queanbeyan Hospital’s primary (and only) diagnosis of Frank was sepsis. Queanbeyan Hospital Discharge Summary at page 3 states “IVABx - ceftriaxone 1gr, azithromycin 500mg, Flucloxacillin 2gr, gentamicin 320mg”. As such, Frank was given large doses of antibiotics. Antibiotics are used to treat sepsis. Antibiotics do not treat covid.

The Progress Notes give an overall assessment of Frank:

1. Airway: patent, maintaining own. This is critical information because Frank was assessed as being able to breathe on his own, and therefore he did not require mechanical ventilation. Further, the Progress Notes state Frank took 10 puffs of salbutamol (ventolin) for his asthma via a spacer at midday, again demonstrating Frank was breathing on his own.

2. Breathing: RR 32. Frank was breathing very fast.

3. Disability: “Increased confusion over past 3/7 as per wife.” Queanbeyan Hospital repeatedly record false and incorrect information that states Frank’s wife found him confused. Nada did not ever say Frank was confused or drowsy. In fact the week prior to his hospitalisation, Frank was working as usual:
   - dealing with a Cooma police officer about stolen trucks;
   - dealing with Nada about valuation of a Batemans Bay property;
   - dealing with Nada about re-issue of a vehicle trade plate;
   - being in the company of Naseem and Alex while the industrial shed and residential unit were being painted; and
   - being in the company of Aaron concerning the repair and restoration of cars.

11.40am

Nada Phone Call #3 to Queanbeyan Hospital - 2 Minute Call

Emergency Department staff advised Nada that Frank was being transported to Canberra Hospital within the hour, and instructed Nada to call Canberra Hospital in an hour’s time, which Nada did.

12.36pm

Queanbeyan Hospital Discharge Summary

Queanbeyan Hospital Discharge Summary, prepared at 12.36pm, states “Transfer to ED TCH. Updated wife - Nada 0402 xxx xxx”.

The Discharge Summary again states incorrect information, namely “Wife came from coast to visit patient found confused”, and“Collateral history from wife Nada - 0402 xxx xxx unwell since last week - did not seek medical advise today found confused”. Nada did not ever say to any person Frank was confused.

12.53pm

Queanbeyan Hospital Discharge Summary

Queanbeyan Hospital’s primary (and only) diagnosis of Frank was sepsis.

The discharge summary states that the medication given to Frank, other than ventolin and insulin, was “IVABx - ceftriaxone 1gr, azithromycin 500mg, Flucloxacillin 2gr, gentamicin 320mg”, all of which are antibiotics. Antibiotics are used to treat sepsis. Antibiotics do not treat covid.

Queanbeyan hospital did not diagnose anything other than sepsis, yet Frank was treated with mechanical ventilation.

1.46pm

Nada Phone Call #4 to Canberra Hospital - 2 Minute Call

According to Queanbeyan Hospital’s advice, Nada called Canberra Hospital Emergency Department at 1.46pm, 1.49pm and again at 1.50pm. Canberra Hospital Emergency Department staff informed Nada that Frank had not yet arrived, and to call back later.

While Nada was sent by hospital staff on a goose chase trying to locate her husband, while doctors made critical and life threatening decisions about the “treatments” they would implement on Frank, without any consideration of Frank’s or Nada wishes.

2.22pm

Queanbeyan Hospital: Frank Sedated

Just under 4 hours after admission, at 2.22pm Frank was sedated with 20mg Ketamine for the purpose of being intubated.

2.25pm

Queanbeyan Hospital: Frank Paralysed

At 2.25pm Frank was paralysed with 150mg of Rocuronium.

2.25pm

Queanbeyan Hospital: Frank Further Sedated

At 2.25pm Frank was more heavily sedated with 150mg Ketamine.

2.29pm

Queanbeyan Hospital: Frank Intubated

At 2.29pm doctors intubated Frank, despite the fact Frank was assessed that he could breathe on his own, was as not dying, nor in a critical condition, nor a life-threatening condition.

According to Queanbeyan Hospital records Frank’s oxygen was 82%, which is a level that is manageable and does not require mechanical ventilation.

Queanbeyan Hospital doctors implemented a high risk medical treatment without obtaining informed consent and refused to warn of the risks associated with mechanical ventilation such as getting a bacterial infection - which is exactly what Frank got.

2.56pm

Loaded for Transfer from Queanbeyan Hospital to Canberra Hospital

At 2.56pm Frank was loaded for transport to Canberra Hospital.

3.00pm

Nada Phone Call #5 to Queanbeyan Hospital - 4 Minute Call

Nada called Queanbeyan Hospital again to establish the whereabouts of Frank. Hospital staff refused to inform Nada that Frank was intubated, or to update her on his condition.

Nada called Queanbeyan again because Frank was not at Canberra Hospital as advised. Queanbeyan Hospital staff gave false information to Nada to state Frank was on his way to Canberra Hospital, whereas Frank had not yet left Queanbeyan Hospital.

4.11pm

Nada Phone Call #6 to Queanbeyan Hospital - 1 Minute Call

Nada called Queanbeyan Hospital again and was advised again Frank had left Queanbeyan Hospital and was at Canberra Hospital.

4.12pm

Nada Phone Call to Canberra Hospital

Nada called Canberra Hospital again and was advised by Emergency Department staff:

• Frank had arrived;

• Frank was intubated in Queanbeyan Hospital; and

• Frank was being sent to ICU (Intensive Care Unit).

This was the first time Nada was informed Frank was intubated.

4.41pm
6.37pm

Nada Phone Calls to Canberra Hospital

Despite a total 10 phone calls to Queanbeyan District Hospital and Canberra Hospital, and a total of 32 minutes of conversations with hospital staff, doctors refused to inform Nada of any of the medical treatments given to Frank.

Instead, Nada was sent on a merry-go-round trying to find out where her husband was.