Prosthetic limbs have been mistakenly thrown away at Tasmanian hospitals, causing distress to the affected individuals and raising concerns about the practices within prosthetic services.
Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff apologised to one of the affected individuals in parliament this morning and acknowledged the need for improvement within Prosthetic Services Tasmania.
“It is totally unacceptable. I apologise for his experience,” Rockliff said.
Double amputee Doug Bishton has been confined to a wheelchair for two years after one of his prosthetic legs was accidentally thrown away at the North West Regional Hospital while he was in Hobart for surgery.
Bishton only discovered his leg was missing once he entered rehabilitation after his operation.
Despite seeking a replacement leg for the past two years, Bishton has not received any response or apology from the Health Department.
Another man, Christopher Wells, had his old prosthetics go missing after trialing a new ankle and knee joint.
The incident has prompted calls for a statewide investigation from Labor’s health spokeswoman, Anita Dow, who criticised the government for its handling of the situation.
“It is completely unacceptable and outrageous that the Rockliff Government is losing prosthetic limbs and leaving it months, or in some cases years, to apologise or rectify the issue,” Dow said.
“Despite both men raising complaints on several occasions, no action was taken to replace these prostheses and give their lives back,” she said.
“The government must accept that both men’s quality of life has been severely impacted because of their negligence and provide the prostheses they need to get on with their lives … and seriously consider whether compensation is warranted.”
Premier Rockliff has committed to conducting a review to prevent the accidental disposal of prosthetics in the future and has expressed a willingness to support the affected individuals further.
