Inside the emergency department: Ben Fordham shares harrowing photos from Blacktown Hospital
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It’s a scene that no Australian should ever have to witness—let alone experience firsthand.
Yet, shocking new photos from Blacktown Hospital’s emergency department have brought the harsh reality of our overstretched public health system into the spotlight, leaving many of us asking: how did it come to this?
The images, shared with 2GB’s Ben Fordham, show elderly patients in visible agony, forced to lie on the cold, hard vinyl floor of the hospital’s waiting room for hours—sometimes even a full day—while desperately waiting for a bed.
One of the most distressing stories is that of Raymond, a 70-year-old man who arrived at Blacktown Hospital on a Saturday, suffering from severe diarrhoea and dangerously low haemoglobin levels—a situation that could quickly become life-threatening.
Despite the urgency of his condition, Raymond spent a staggering 24 hours waiting for a bed. Much of that time, he was left to try and sleep on the hospital floor, wracked with pain and discomfort.
Raymond’s daughter, Hayley, shared a heartbreaking photo of her father’s ordeal with Ben Fordham, hoping to draw attention to the dire situation.
She also provided a second photo of another elderly man, aged 80, similarly forced to sleep on the floor, covered only by a thin blanket, after waiting at least 12 hours for a bed.
To add insult to injury, Raymond was told by hospital staff that he couldn’t sleep on the floor near reception.
Hayley’s frustration was palpable. ‘What do you expect a 70-year-old to do?’ she asked Fordham.
During the ordeal, Raymond called his daughter multiple times, desperate to leave. ‘He said he’d rather go to a small country town, which is where he’s from, because the wait times aren’t as bad,’ Hayley explained.
These stories are not isolated incidents. According to the latest NSW Health data, only 41 per cent of emergency department patients at Blacktown Hospital are being treated on time.
The hospital ranks dead last—20th out of 20—in its category for emergency department presentations. For a facility serving one of Sydney’s fastest-growing regions, these numbers are deeply concerning.
Source: 9 News Australia / Youtube.
Opposition health spokeswoman Kellie Sloane expressed her sadness and frustration at the situation: ‘This shouldn’t be happening in our hospitals. I’m terribly sad for this gentleman and his family, decent people who have paid taxes their entire lives. And when they’re at their most vulnerable, the system has let them down.’
Blacktown Hospital’s woes are not new. Almost a year ago, NSW Premier Chris Minns singled out the hospital as a symbol of the state’s overstretched public hospital system, after similar images of patients sleeping on the waiting room floor emerged.
‘We’ll have to look at Blacktown in particular—there’s major stress on our public hospitals,’ Minns said at the time. ‘We want to do better when it comes to health outcomes.’
The hospital’s challenges are compounded by rapid population growth in Sydney’s west, a shortage of beds, and ongoing staff shortages.
The recent resignation of Western Sydney Local Health District chief executive Graeme Loy, just hours before a scheduled vote of confidence by doctors at nearby Westmead, has only added to the sense of instability.
Related story: ‘He could have just died’: 15-hour hospital wait leaves family fearing the worst
Have you or a loved one experienced long wait times or inadequate care in a hospital emergency department? Do you think the government is doing enough to support our public hospitals, especially for seniors? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Yet, shocking new photos from Blacktown Hospital’s emergency department have brought the harsh reality of our overstretched public health system into the spotlight, leaving many of us asking: how did it come to this?
The images, shared with 2GB’s Ben Fordham, show elderly patients in visible agony, forced to lie on the cold, hard vinyl floor of the hospital’s waiting room for hours—sometimes even a full day—while desperately waiting for a bed.
One of the most distressing stories is that of Raymond, a 70-year-old man who arrived at Blacktown Hospital on a Saturday, suffering from severe diarrhoea and dangerously low haemoglobin levels—a situation that could quickly become life-threatening.
Despite the urgency of his condition, Raymond spent a staggering 24 hours waiting for a bed. Much of that time, he was left to try and sleep on the hospital floor, wracked with pain and discomfort.
Raymond’s daughter, Hayley, shared a heartbreaking photo of her father’s ordeal with Ben Fordham, hoping to draw attention to the dire situation.
Distressing photos have shown elderly patients at Blacktown Hospital forced to sleep on the emergency department floor for hours while waiting for a bed. Image source: Ben Fordham / Facebook.
She also provided a second photo of another elderly man, aged 80, similarly forced to sleep on the floor, covered only by a thin blanket, after waiting at least 12 hours for a bed.
To add insult to injury, Raymond was told by hospital staff that he couldn’t sleep on the floor near reception.
Hayley’s frustration was palpable. ‘What do you expect a 70-year-old to do?’ she asked Fordham.
During the ordeal, Raymond called his daughter multiple times, desperate to leave. ‘He said he’d rather go to a small country town, which is where he’s from, because the wait times aren’t as bad,’ Hayley explained.
These stories are not isolated incidents. According to the latest NSW Health data, only 41 per cent of emergency department patients at Blacktown Hospital are being treated on time.
The hospital ranks dead last—20th out of 20—in its category for emergency department presentations. For a facility serving one of Sydney’s fastest-growing regions, these numbers are deeply concerning.
Source: 9 News Australia / Youtube.
Opposition health spokeswoman Kellie Sloane expressed her sadness and frustration at the situation: ‘This shouldn’t be happening in our hospitals. I’m terribly sad for this gentleman and his family, decent people who have paid taxes their entire lives. And when they’re at their most vulnerable, the system has let them down.’
Blacktown Hospital’s woes are not new. Almost a year ago, NSW Premier Chris Minns singled out the hospital as a symbol of the state’s overstretched public hospital system, after similar images of patients sleeping on the waiting room floor emerged.
‘We’ll have to look at Blacktown in particular—there’s major stress on our public hospitals,’ Minns said at the time. ‘We want to do better when it comes to health outcomes.’
The hospital’s challenges are compounded by rapid population growth in Sydney’s west, a shortage of beds, and ongoing staff shortages.
The recent resignation of Western Sydney Local Health District chief executive Graeme Loy, just hours before a scheduled vote of confidence by doctors at nearby Westmead, has only added to the sense of instability.
Related story: ‘He could have just died’: 15-hour hospital wait leaves family fearing the worst
Have you or a loved one experienced long wait times or inadequate care in a hospital emergency department? Do you think the government is doing enough to support our public hospitals, especially for seniors? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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