Brisbane grandfather’s stay at Logan Hospital ends in tragedy as family demand answers from Queensland government

A grieving family has demanded answers after a beloved grandfather’s harrowing ordeal in hospital ended in his death.

Russell Bates, 76, was enjoying a belated Christmas celebration with his family on December 30 before blacking out and falling.

He was rushed to Logan Hospital in Queensland, where he spent the first seven hours in a corridor waiting for a bed due to the ambulance ramp.

Within a fortnight the retired school principal was dead after a series of health care failures, his heartbroken family say.

Bates’ family claims he has been repeatedly misdiagnosed as a direct result of the hospital’s staff shortages.

During 10 days in the hospital, they say his health rapidly deteriorated, despite concerned relatives pleading with doctors to perform more tests.

On day five his heart began to fail and on day ten Mr Bates was rushed to intensive care with hospital-acquired pneumonia.

He also had a perforated intestine and sepsis.

Mr Bates underwent emergency surgery, but two days later his family made the heartbreaking decision to turn off his life support.

The family believes Mr Bates would still be alive had it not been for a series of failures.

“He walked in there a relatively healthy man until that little fall and was left in a body bag,” his daughter Michelle Dunne said Seven news.

“I kept telling them, ‘Please do more tests.’

Mr Bates’ son David added: ‘The nurses were so worried about Dad. They were running around the hospital looking for people who could help him.”

The family claims a surgeon told them their father was “not sick enough” to operate.

Nurses then urged Bates’ family to implement Ryan’s Rule: a three-step process to ensure a patient is thoroughly monitored if their condition worsens or does not improve as well as expected.

But the family claims that, despite their assurances, this has led to more errors by doctors.

“We seemed powerless,” Ms. Dunne said.

‘The kidney doctor said to us on day 11: “We would have liked to have known this three days ago, he could have had a chance.” That broke me.’

David fought back tears as he recalled his last conversation with his father, moments before he was wheeled in to undergo emergency surgery.

“The ten minutes we had to say goodbye, I said to Dad, ‘How much fight do you have left in you?’ “He said, ‘I’ll keep fighting, mate, if you do’ – and we will,” he said.

Mr Bates’ cause of death has yet to be determined.

The family has also been told that the coroner’s office has not yet received the autopsy report, which could take up to two years.

Logan Hospital has launched a ‘comprehensive investigation’ into Mr Bates’ care.

An independent investigation into Bates’ death is also underway.

“Logan Hospital has been in contact with Mr. Bates’ family and is committed to providing ongoing support,” said Anne Coccetti, director of Logan and Beaudesert Health Service.

“As this incident is now before the coroner, Logan Hospital is unable to comment further.”

Queensland Health Minister Shannon Fentiman has also offered to meet Bates’ family to hear what happened.

The family has submitted a plea to Queensland Minister and Premier Steven Miles.

“Enough is enough – fix your system,” David said.

“Our fight won’t bring Dad back, but how can we get a message across to the Minister of Health, to the Government, to make sure this doesn’t happen to someone else’s family.”

His sister added: “It has to stop.”