According to his family, Derek Dewitt “did everything right”.
The 77-year old Brisbane man was double vaccinated, had lined up for Covid tests, was happy to quarantine, and made the right call when he realised he needed urgent help.
But after he died on the floor waiting an hour for an ambulance – despite living minutes from hospital – his daughters Lisa Carmichael and Mareta Dewitt want answers.
“You said we were prepared. You said that our health system is fine. It clearly it isn’t fine. It’s not okay,” Ms Dewitt told Nine News on Monday.
Ms Dewitt and her sister Lisa Carmichael have made an official complaint to Redlands Hospital after the death of their dad Derek on January 6, which they believe was needless.
The pair have questioned the readiness of the state’s health system to help people during the Omicron wave, which has placed immense stress on hospitals and has been credited as the reason for the delayed response on the night in question.
In their interview with Nine, the sisters said a Covid-positive Derek collapsed to the floor at about midnight and could not get up, reporting shortness of breath and symptoms that resembled a heart attack.
His wife called triple-0, but 45 minutes later there was still no ambulance.
“I asked the policeman that was attending why they took so long and he just said, ‘That’s just how long they’re taking at the moment,’” Ms Dewitt said.
After calling back, and going through the on-hold cycle four times, she was eventually put through to the Queensland Ambulance Service who upgraded the case from a 1B to a 1A.
By the time paramedics arrived – more than an hour after he collapsed – Mr Dewitt was dead.
The sisters told Nine that had they known a lengthy delay was in store, they would have found another way to get him the 5km to Redlands Hospital.
“QAS has undertaken a comprehensive review of the clinical and operational aspects of its response,” a spokesperson QAS spokesperson said, noting that the industry had been experiencing a high level of demand..
As of Sunday evening there had been more than 100 Covid deaths in Queensland, a figure that has surged since the New Year.
There were 879 people in hospital with Covid – not including people who have been moved into the private system – with 50 people in intensive care.
