Renal dialysis patients say they've been turned away from life-saving treatment services, as the Northern Territory grapples with health staffing shortages.
NT Health has confirmed it's investigating how some patients in Darwin had their dialysis appointments cancelled, citing a "nation-wide challenge" in recruiting health workers.
The Northern Territory has the highest incidence and prevalence of kidney disease in Australia, with many people reliant on frequent treatment to survive.
One of them is Stephen Goodall, who claims he was turned away from a scheduled session at a Darwin renal unit last week, meaning he went without.
"I came here and was told there was no capability, and they had no staff and [to] go away and come back," he said.
Dialysis patients sent to Emergency Department
In a letter to NT Health, obtained by the ABC, Mr Goodall said it wasn't the first time his appointments had been cancelled, and claims he has witnessed a "severe and obvious breakdown" in the system treating renal patients, labelling it a "collapse" in quality of care.
He also claims on one occasion last week, as many as nine renal patients were sent from a suburban renal unit to the Emergency Department at Royal Darwin Hospital, with no dialysis treatment.
"Nine patients were sent unexpectedly to ED at RDH [Royal Darwin Hospital]," Mr Goodall said.
Austin Chin, whose daughter receives dialysis, told ABC Radio Darwin his daughter was moved to the emergency department on the same day in question.
"She went in on Monday and they said, 'we've got an issue with staff shortages' and she had to go up to RDH," he said.
In a statement to the ABC, Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said all cancelled appointments had been rescheduled and patients were offered additional treatment.
"NT health is investigating how some dialysis patients appointments were cancelled and referred to the RDH ED," the statement said.
"There is a nation-wide challenge in recruiting to medical, nursing and allied health positions.
"NT Health is actively managing staffing levels across our hospitals and services, these challenges are not unique to the NT, with all jurisdictions similarly competing for health staff."
Union warns of staffing shortages
NT Branch Secretary of the Nursing and Midwives Association Cath Hatcher said ongoing staffing issues across the health system was also affecting renal wards.
"The ratio is normally two to three [patients to one nurse], they've had to bump it up to three to four, which is unacceptable," she said.
Calls to fast-track skilled visas
Due to the nature of dialysis procedures, Ms Hatcher said the work required highly trained staff.
"You can't simply take someone from the emergency department or maternity department and put them into the renal unit," she said.
One solution to staff shortages, Ms Hatcher said, would to fast-track the recruitment of more skilled nurses from overseas.
"We're working with the Department of Health to encourage and promote … visas that have renal specific qualifications," she said.
"So we can build up that workforce in that specialty area."
Ms Fyles said dedicated renal staff "work hard to ensure Territorians needing dialysis continue to receive the best patient-centred care possible".
"NT Health apologises for any distress and disruption caused to patients and their families," she said.
