Bathurst footballer Ji Hartland had to wait four days for surgery on broken leg

Ji Hartland, who plays for the Bathurst Giants in the AFL Central West men's tier one competition, sustained his injury in a match with rivals Bathurst Bushrangers, on Saturday, May 13, at George Park 2.

Mr Hartland was transported to Bathurst Hospital after he sustained his injury, but it wasn't until around midday on Tuesday, May 16 that he was transferred to Orange Base Hospital.

There, he waited a further day for surgery, before finally returning home on Thursday, May 18.

Mr Hartland claims that when he arrived at Bathurst Base Hospital for treatment on May 13 he was told Orange had a bed available that night, however, there wasn't an ambulance available to transport him.

By the time an ambulance became available, the bed situation at Orange Base Hospital had changed, with none freeing up until the Tuesday.

"It was a massive debacle trying to have surgery," Mr Hartland told ACM, the publisher of this masthead.

"All of the Bathurst nurses, my family and myself were not happy at all with my treatment in regards to having to pretty much survive in ED (the emergency department) - not even in a room - with a broken leg, living off all the painkillers in all fairness."

When Mr Hartland arrived at Orange Base Hospital on May 16, three days after breaking his leg, he was told he would have to wait another day before surgery.

"I got there, got ready for surgery and I was about to go into the surgical theatre, but I was told I wasn't going to have surgery," he said.

"I was disgusted with them.

"To say the least, myself and my family aren't happy with the treatment, waiting time, admissions on arrival and overall professionalism."

But Mr Hartland was full of praise for the nurses that looked after him in Bathurst.

"Bathurst ED staff are doing a great job, considering," he said.

"I'm very thankful to all the staff that were there over the week and the help we got escalating things so I could get to Orange."

In a statement to ACM, a spokesperson said the Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) "acknowledges and apologises for the delay and additional stress" Mr Hartland experienced after sustaining a serious injury.

They said the health district is "committed to providing safe, timely access to healthcare for all patients".

ACM put a list of questions to the WNSWLHD, including whether or not Mr Hartland's long wait for surgery was down to a lack of beds or transport.

The WNSWLHD did not directly answer the question, with a spokesperson saying "emergency surgeries are prioritised based on urgency and clinical need, as determined by treating clinicians".

"At times, transfer to an alternative facility is required for a higher level of care before, during or after the procedure," the spokesperson said.

"Every effort is made to avoid delays, however wait times can occur if an injury or illness is not life-threatening or critical."

The WNSWLHD said Bathurst's loss of its accreditation to train medical registrars in February did not have anything to do with the situation experienced at the hospital.

"Services and patient care have not been disrupted by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians' withdrawal of training accreditation for medical registrars at Bathurst Hospital," the spokesperson said.

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