Content warning: This story contains distressing details related to a recent death.

A grieving family has spoken out after a father’s sudden passing, blaming a Sydney hospital for discharging him too soon.

They claim he was sent home before he was ready—despite begging for more time.

Now, they’re demanding change before another loved one is lost.

‘He said “I just need more time” and they kept saying “no, you’ve got to go, we’ve got this room for someone else”,’ Brad shared..

Dennis’s family believes he would still be alive if he had been given the support he asked for.

‘(My father) needed to be in hospital, and he probably would still be with us today [if he was],’ Brad said.

Dennis Carruthers died days after hospital discharge. Image source: Youtube/7News

‘He didn’t get the attention he needed. He needed more time.’

They described the hospital as overwhelmed, with too few staff available to care for the number of patients.

‘The hospital was understaffed, health workers were under the pump and his dad was pushed out the door before his legs had time to heal,’ Brad added.

Dennis Carruthers was laid to rest at a funeral service in northwest Sydney on Monday.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park responded to the family’s concerns, offering condolences and confirming an investigation.

‘I offer my sincere condolences to the family,’ Park said.

‘Western Sydney Local Health District is urgently looking into this matter.’

Park also said Dennis had been assessed as ‘fit for discharge’ and received a home visit and follow-up care.

The family’s concerns come amid broader scrutiny of Blacktown Hospital, where issues with overcrowding and patient care have made headlines over the past year.

Recent images broadcast by 7NEWS have sparked further public outcry.

‘The situation at Blacktown Hospital is out of control,’ NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said.

State parliament is reportedly considering an inquiry, with discussions under way and actions expected within the week.

This may include a recruitment push and implementation of safer staff-to-patient ratios.

The Carruthers family hopes their loss will prompt urgent reform.

They say they want action now—‘so it doesn’t happen to someone else’s father’.

Watch their powerful message and see why they’re urging others to stay alert when it comes to hospital care.

Source: YouTube/7NEWS Australia​

This isn’t the first time a grieving family has spoken out about what they believe was a preventable death in a hospital.

When care feels rushed or corners are cut, the consequences can be devastating.

Here’s another heartbreaking case that sparked public outcry and calls for change.

Read more: Grandfather’s hospital tragedy exposes shocking negligence: ‘It’s got to stop’

Key Takeaways

• Dennis Carruthers, 82, died days after being discharged from Blacktown Hospital.
• His family claims he was released too soon while still struggling with cellulitis.
• NSW Health Minister confirmed an investigation and offered condolences.
• Calls for a parliamentary inquiry and staffing reforms at Blacktown Hospital are growing.

Losing access to care when it’s needed most can be devastating—how many more families must suffer before real change happens?

 

[Penny4]

Wonder how many days he was in the hospital, or perhaps in the emergency ward section. They would have given him strong antibiotics to take home. My son has had celllutitis a couple of times from the soil playing sport. Bacteria can transfer into the tissues. I took him straight to the Dr to get an injection and antibiotics. In saying that, I know of another man who contracted cellulitis from playing cricket (soil). He ignored the symptoms and he passed away. Perhaps this man ignored the initial symptoms too, until it was too late for the treatment to work. Or else Blacktown hospital is yet again to be blamed. Who knows.

 

[Suzanne rose]

It's not just Blacktown hospital ! My daughter is currently working in The surgical ward of a Sydney hospital and they are full to the brink. They have not just surgical patients but also a large number of patients with the flu
Last night, they had 20 patients in Emergency who were admitted and waiting for a bed.

Four weeks ago, my son inlaw was kept in a chair in Emergency, suffering from a life-threatening illness . He suffers from Collitis and had a very bad infection in his large bowel. He was that bad. The first hospital needed to transfer him to Concord Hospital, where he spent just over 2 weeks there. He should have stayed longer but discharged himself.

The problem is there aren't enough nurses and doctors for our increasing population.
There are beds in wards that are not in use because there is no staff.

Three of my daughters are nurses. One in a mainstream hospital, one works in the operating room, and the other in agecare who goes to her patients' homes.

The staff is overworked and burning out. They need more doctors and definitely more nurses

 

[Robbo3006]

I was surprised to read it was blacktown not nepean.

 

[novezar]

With Blacktown hospital, plus 1 or 2 others, it's a matter of if you go in alive, will you come out "Dead".

I know what they're like. I was taken there by ambulance, after a work mate drove me home from my work place where I was suffering from absolute sheer uncontrolled pain down my legs. I could barely walk with me dragging one leg behind me.

I was 'Checked" over by their "Docs". They said I had Sciatica, discharge me & the wife had to pick me up. No scans were done what-so-ever to confirm any major problems. Obviously, too much of a problem for them to undertake same.

The funny part about of all, was, they had a "High" ranked neurosurgeon stationed there.

Asa a result, over the next quite a period of time, I ended up undergoing 4 spinal ops performed. I also underwent numerous CT & MRI scans as well, prior & post ops., with some done under X-Ray with Gadolinium dye injected into my spine whilst under anaesthetic.

As the result, I never returned back to work which incl., 1 year off on "Sick" report before finishing up by being declared , "Unfit For Duty".

Thank heavens, in the end, everything was considered, "Work Related" on my behalf.

So, if anyone gets admitted to 'Blacky" hospital, keep your fingers crossed that you'll survive the ensuing traumatics with which you will endure.

 

[mOiOz]

That's what happens when a country suddenly explodes with overpopulation that would be expected decades away!
Politicians really didn't give it much thought, did they?
They had to show the world how wonderfully empathetic they are... IDIOTS!

 

[Towing]

Tell me one hospital public or private that doesn't send patients home too early

 

[Clancieblue]

Did Dennis go home by himself or did he have family with him. Why wasn't an ambulance called if his health started to deteriorate?
When a hospital tried to discharge my husband who was unwell, I refused to take him home.
He was on IV fluids because he had gastroparesis, if I had taken him home, he would have dehydrated.

 

[Reet]

I was in Hospital for a week with pneumonia in early May this year. At being discharged I was told there would be help at home for me with showers etc for the next six weeks starting two days after discharge as my sone was with me for the two days. I agreed to pay $10 per week for this help but NO HELP actually arrived and at the end of the first week I got a call from the head office of the company supposed to help me in Sydney to say I was to be assessed to see exactly what help I needed!! Since I had already been assessed by the representative of their company at Grafton Base Hospital, this to me was an insult!! It is not a reflection of the Hosppital that this happened because they had done everything they could to make sure I would be taken care of following my discharge from the hospital.

 

[7777]

It's not just Blacktown hospital ! My daughter is currently working in The surgical ward of a Sydney hospital and they are full to the brink. They have not just surgical patients but also a large number of patients with the flu
Last night, they had 20 patients in Emergency who were admitted and waiting for a bed.

Four weeks ago, my son inlaw was kept in a chair in Emergency, suffering from a life-threatening illness . He suffers from Collitis and had a very bad infection in his large bowel. He was that bad. The first hospital needed to transfer him to Concord Hospital, where he spent just over 2 weeks there. He should have stayed longer but discharged himself.

The problem is there aren't enough nurses and doctors for our increasing population.
There are beds in wards that are not in use because there is no staff.

Three of my daughters are nurses. One in a mainstream hospital, one works in the operating room, and the other in agecare who goes to her patients' homes.

The staff is overworked and burning out. They need more doctors and definitely more nurses

Dear member Suzanne Rose, you are truly blessed to have caring daughter's who all work so hard, to help those who need their help the most. Many happy blessings to them all. Is it possible for our Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Minister for Health to be made aware, that there is an urgent need for more doctors and nurses to be employed, for the increasing population. Wishing you a pleasant evening.

 

[Suzanne rose]

Dear member Suzanne Rose, you are truly blessed to have caring daughter's are all working so hard to help those who need their help the most. Many happy blessings to them all. Is it possible for our Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Minister for Health to be made aware, that there is an urgent need for more doctors and nurses to be employed, for the increasing population. Wishing you a pleasant evening.

I think they know