A Kingston woman with Covid-19 was forced to break her isolation period to collect her elderly father, also Covid-positive, from Dunedin Hospital after he was allegedly "kicked out" on Wednesday.
The woman’s mother Val McDonald (76) tested positive on Sunday, and per government requirements, began isolating with her husband Steve (81) at their Kingston home.
Their daughter (58), who has requested not to be named, also began isolating at her residence, as she spent the weekend in close contact with her parents, before testing positive on Tuesday.
That same day, Mr McDonald accidentally knocked himself unconscious and was taken by ambulance to Lakes District Hospital in Queenstown to be checked for internal injuries. He also tested positive.
Mrs McDonald said her husband was kept in the emergency department at Lakes District before being placed in another ambulance.
"The next thing I know, he was being driven, along with another patient, down to Dunedin," Mrs McDonald said.
Her husband believed he was transferred to Dunedin because Lakes District had no Covid beds available, and flood waters prevented him from being transferred to Invercargill.
"We were informed that’s what was happening - take it or leave it," Mrs McDonald said.
She said her husband was at Dunedin Hospital for less than 24 hours before he called their daughter, saying she needed to collect him - he was being "kicked out" because his bed was needed for other patients.
Mrs McDonald said she was disgusted with the situation.
"My understanding is the Government has made a ruling that you do not leave your home, you stay in isolation."
She said her daughter, suffering Covid symptoms, was forced to defy government isolation orders to collect Mr McDonald, as there was nobody else who could.
The journey put her daughter’s safety at risk, as she could not pitstop and exit her vehicle on the three hour drive, she said.
"It’s not as though it’s only half-an-hour down the road to go and collect him - it’s hours."
The woman said she cannot understand why her father was not kept at the facility until his isolation period ended.
A Southern District Health Board spokeswoman said the discharge process for Covid positive patients was the same as all other patients, and included an assessment of the safety of the patient and those they may be staying with.
"Where a patient is discharged away from their normal place of residence this does sometimes place an expectation on family or a friend to travel to collect them.
"Where this is not possible, other transport options can be arranged but these may be at the cost to the patient/family," she said.
"The discharge of a Covid positive patient who is well enough to leave hospital can sometimes be logistically challenging and we work with their next of kin/family to find the best possible solution to get them home safely."
However, the woman said she received no communication from Dunedin Hospital staff about options.
