Tai Tokerau kaumātua Rupene Karaka (Te Paatu) could barely stand following a mix-up between two Northland hospitals that forced the 81-year-old to walk and hitchhike from Kawakawa to Whangārei, more than 40 minutes away.
Karaka says the mix-up was the result of a letter he received, stating that he had an appointment at Bay of Islands Hospital. He boarded a hospital bus from his home in Kaitaia, bound for the Kawakawa-based hospital.
Upon arriving at the hospital, the error was highlighted by staff, who informed Karaka the appointment was in Whangārei.
Karaka became disgruntled after staff would not assist him in arranging a van to take him to his appointment.
"They didn't wanna know… I said 'Can you give me a ride there or something?'
"They said 'no, we can't do anything.'
"I said 'well, it looks like I have to walk.'"
Karaka said he then made the decision to walk almost half a kilometre from the hospital to the main road, where he then hitchhiked to Whangārei.
"I only had 20 dollars to buy some lunch after I went through all the medical procedures…
"I gave it to the person who gave me a ride... So I had nothing to eat until that night," he said.
In a statement, Te Whatu Ora — Tai Tokerau said transport was organised to get Karaka to his appointment, but he had already made his own arrangements by that time.
Karaka said he received a phone call from Bay of Islands Hospital while he was already en route to Whangārei Hospital.
"About 10 mins before I arrived to the hospital, the Kawakawa Hospital rang up and said 'listen we've got a van to take you to Whangārei' and I said 'I found a ride and I'm nearly there.'"
Te Whatu Ora say they will review how appointment locations are made clearer to avoid this happening again.
"A phone call is made to confirm the appointment with the patient. We would not send a letter of confirmation if the timing meant it could not arrive before the scheduled appointment."
By Harata Brown, Kataraina Anneff
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