Queensland Health Minister Defends Care for Man with Brain Damage

Queensland's health minister has defended the medical care provided to a 38-year-old man who suffered irreversible brain and eyesight damage after a 36-hour ordeal.

Patrick Gemsik, a former Olympic skateboarding coach, received emergency surgery for a brain tumour in March, but his family claims that permanent damage was caused by delays to his treatment.

The Labor opposition has questioned the government over the care Gemsik received in state parliament, asking if any reviews had been conducted or if an apology would be offered.

Health Minister Tim Nicholls told parliament that the matter had been dealt with "appropriately" and "compassionately".

Gemsik's mother, Gayle, a former registered nurse, said she watched her son continuously deteriorate while her concerns fell on deaf ears.

"We watched Patrick die before our eyes," she said.

"Patrick had a massive seizure. He stopped breathing and had to be resuscitated."

Gayle Gemsik called an ambulance for her son after he had a headache and sensitivity to light. They waited four hours for an ambulance that never came before driving him to Redlands Hospital.

It was 16 hours before a CT scan was undertaken, despite what she said were clear neurological symptoms.

Gemsik said Redlands Hospital called the Princess Alexandra (PA) Hospital for a transfer after discovering a brain tumour, with staff told there were no beds for him.

Despite that, he was transferred to the PA, where he was ramped for four hours and suffered several seizures.

A day and a half after the first ambulance call, Gemsik said her son received emergency surgery to remove part of the tumour.

"Life's a lot harder. Visions impaired. Ability to recognise things is challenging," Patrick Gemsik said.

"Definitely a different story now from being a head pathway coach for Queensland Olympic skateboarding to now."

"My memory got deleted four months before the incident, and months after, short-term memory is pretty gone."

Gayle Gemsik said she was considering legal action and had heard nothing from Metro South Health, nor had any meeting with anyone from the government.

The opposition used most of parliament's Question Time to grill Nicholls on Gemsik's medical care.

Nicholls, who at first was not familiar with the story, later clarified that the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) and Metro South had made contact with the family to discuss the issue.

"This matter has been dealt with appropriately, compassionately by both the QAS and by Metro South," Nicholls told parliament.

"And we seek to learn at all times. And if the care provided was not up to standard and the family feel that, then of course we seek to do better every time."

A Metro South spokesperson denied there was any delay to surgery.

"The patient was seen by a medical officer on arrival at the PA Hospital," they said.

"An inter-hospital transfer was undertaken and the patient was under close clinical supervision by paramedics, ED clinicians, and specialist staff."

"We take all concerns extremely seriously and clinicians review care to identify opportunities to improve."

The spokesperson said the matter was being reviewed by the Office of the Health Ombudsman and that it would be "inappropriate to comment further".