Concerns ‘dismissed’

pain over your kidneys doesn’t mean there is something wrong.’

‘‘This is an ailment she has been suffering with her whole life. She knows what the pain and the symptoms are.’’

Concerned for Dylana’s welfare if she left the hospital, Chapman called a specialist who had cared for Dylana when she was younger. ‘‘He looked at the urine sample [test cultures] from the day before and said, ‘They’re not contaminated, they’re not negative – there is an infection there.’ ’’

After discussions with the specialist, the ED team began treating Dylana for a swollen kidney and an infection.

A spokesperson for Te Whatu Ora Health NZ’S Waitemata¯ district said: ‘‘We have since spoken to the specialist, who is confident that the same advice and outcome would have occurred even if he had not been involved.’’

The spokesperson said that on Thursday, Dylana’s urine test ‘‘did not indicate infection’’, but by Friday it was ‘‘growing bacteria consistent with an infection . . . This was not apparent the day prior as it takes 24 hours to culture the urine.’’

The spokesperson also said an ultrasound revealed Dylana’s kidneys were normal.

However, Chapman says this test was performed after Dylana had spent three nights being treated in hospital.

Chapman said there wasn’t a ‘‘single doubt’’ in her mind that if she hadn’t called the specialist they would have been sent home, and the next time they came back it would have been in an ambulance or worse. Chapman said she was angry and felt like the hospital had let her sister down.

‘‘I know these doctors are overworked and understaffed, but the only people in this hospital to hear our concerns and listen to us properly had been the nurses.’’

The spokesperson said the public could be assured that anyone who presented at Waitemata¯ emergency rooms would receive the best standard of care.