BLIND TO A CRISIS
Waiting list blunder risks Scarlett’s sight
A FIVE-year-old girl who needs surgery to stop her going blind in one eye never made it onto a hospital waiting list because of a clerical error.
Scarlett Godden of Bonogin waited almost two years for an appointment at Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital in Brisbane.
The mistake was not noticed even when her mother called the hospital a year ago to check on Scarlett’s case.
Nikita Godden is now desperately trying to fundraise so Scarlett can see a private eye specialist.
“To now find out Scarlett was never even on a waiting list is devastating,” Nikita said.
“It’s heartbreaking to think our little girl was lost (in the system).”
A 20-MONTH public health bungle has resulted in little Scarlett Godden’s parents being forced to urgently fundraise to pay for surgery to preserve her sight.
Having been referred to Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital for an appointment almost two years ago, the family was this week shattered to learn the five-yearold was never actually placed on a waiting list.
The revelation only came to light when the Bulletin made inquiries about the apparent delay and despite her mother phoning the hospital more than a year ago to check when she’d be seen.
Having monitored a rapid decline in Scarlett’s esotropia (‘turned eyes’) in recent months, a private specialist has now told her Bonogin parents their eldest daughter risks permanent damage without surgery.
“When we noticed her eyes were starting to turn quite rapidly, we decided to pay to go private because we had been waiting so long for a public appointment,” Nikita Godden said.
“To now find out Scarlett was never even on a waiting list is devastating. We’ve spent so much money and had so much stress that could have been avoided.
“I even called them (last year) and was told ‘You will get a letter three weeks before her appointment’. The woman clearly hasn’t even looked in Scarlett’s file.
“It’s heartbreaking to think our little girl was lost (in the system).”
Scarlett was born with ‘turned eyes’ and had corrective surgery as a toddler but the improvement proved to only be temporary.
In a letter seen by the Bulletin, her optometrist referred her to Lady Cilento in December 2015 for “advice regarding possible further squint surgery”.
A Children’s Health Queensland spokesman said Lady Cilento had no record of a current ophthalmology referral for Scarlett.
“(We) are sorry to hear of Scarlett’s situation and encourage her family to contact us so we can help,” he said.
“Our current records show that as of July 2017, no child was waiting for an ophthalmology outpatient appointment longer than clinically recommended.”
Having already spent hundreds of dollars on Scarlett’s care since going private, Nikita and husband Nicholas – a storeman and father of their three children – have reluctantly launched a Go Fund Me campaign to help pay for Scarlett’s surgery next month.
“It is so painful for (us) to admit we need help to get our beautiful girl the surgery she needs,” the couple wrote.
Nikita told the Bulletin: “Going blind (in one eye) is a real risk and we never want finances to be the reason she has problems later in life.
“Her weaker left eye is actually starting to drift upwards and if we don’t do something, her brain will start to turn off the signals to that eye and once that happens, you never get them back.”
Asked about Lady Cilento’s offer to see Scarlett as soon as “clinically appropriate” after receiving a referral, Nikita said: “How can I possibly trust them now?
“I know that sounds petty but she needs surgery. She needs to be put to sleep (for an operation). If I can’t trust them to get her referral, how can I trust them to fix what’s wrong?”
To support the family, visit gofundme.com and search for ‘Scarlett’s eye correction surgery’.
TO NOW FIND OUT SCARLETT WAS NEVER EVEN ON A WAITING LIST IS DEVASTATING. WE’VE SPENT SO MUCH MONEY AND HAD SO MUCH STRESS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. NIKITA GODDEN