Key Takeaways
- Parfitt lived with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) for seven years and managed her pain with a regulated mix of THC and methadone.
- She arrived at Palmerston North Hospital’s emergency department around midday, was triaged promptly, but left after being informed the wait to be seen exceeded 24 hours.
- While being transported to Hawke’s Bay Hospital, she became unresponsive in the passenger seat over the Ruahine Range; resuscitation attempts failed and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
- Health NZ stated the ED was fully staffed, the average wait was about two hours, and records show she was called for assessment twice but was not present when summoned.
- The family voiced anger and grief, referenced a recent similar incident at Waikato Hospital, and called for urgent reforms to prevent further avoidable deaths.
Background and Medical Condition
Parfitt, a mother of five, had been living with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) for seven years after a surgical procedure went awry, leaving her in constant, severe pain. To manage her symptoms she relied on a carefully calibrated combination of THC and methadone, although the medication did not always provide adequate relief. Because of her condition, Parfitt was a frequent visitor to hospitals seeking pain relief and had become accustomed to long waits in emergency departments. Her chronic pain not only disrupted her daily life but also motivated her to support other family members through their own medical challenges, highlighting her role as a caregiver despite her own suffering.
Initial Visit to Palmerston North Hospital
On Saturday afternoon, Parfitt’s pain intensified to a point where urgent medical care was needed, prompting her daughter to call an ambulance. She arrived at Palmerston North Hospital’s emergency department around noon and was triaged upon arrival. According to records released by Health NZ, she was called for assessment within 90 minutes of triage, but she was not present in the waiting room at that time. A second call was made 45 minutes later, and again she was absent. The family was told that the expected wait to be seen exceeded 24 hours, leading them to leave the hospital and return home, where Parfitt’s condition temporarily improved.
Decision to Seek Care Elsewhere
After returning home, Parfitt’s symptoms persisted, and by mid‑afternoon it became clear that she required further evaluation. The family concluded that waiting another day at Palmerston North was untenable and decided to drive her to Hawke’s Bay Hospital in Hastings, believing the facility there would be able to see her more quickly. This decision reflects the frustration and anxiety that many patients with chronic pain experience when faced with prolonged emergency department delays, as they seek alternatives they hope will provide timely care.
Journey to Hawke’s Bay Hospital
Parfitt’s daughter took the wheel for the trip from Palmerston North to Hastings, traveling along State Highway 3 over the Ruahine Range. Approximately 20 minutes out of Palmerston North, near the small town of Woodville, Parfitt became unresponsive in the passenger seat. The vehicle was pulled over, and an ambulance was summoned immediately. Despite the rapid response of emergency services, Parfitt could not be revived, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Response and Attempted Resuscitation
Ambulance crews arrived within minutes and initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation and advanced life‑support measures. However, there was no detectable cardiac activity, and resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. The sudden nature of her collapse left little time for intervention, and the family was left to grapple with the shock of losing a loved one in what should have been a routine transfer for medical care. An autopsy was performed over the weekend to determine the exact cause of death, and the results were pending at the time of reporting.
Official Statements from Health NZ
Kath Fraser‑Chapple, interim group director of operations for MidCentral at Health NZ, issued a statement affirming that Palmerston North Hospital’s emergency department was fully staffed on Saturday afternoon and that the average waiting time was about two hours. She noted that the patient arrived by ambulance around noon, was triaged promptly, and was called for assessment within 90 minutes of triage, but was not present when summoned. A second call 45 minutes later also found the patient absent. Fraser‑Chapple expressed sympathy to the family and confirmed that the death had been referred to the coroner for investigation, adding that Health NZ had no further comment at that stage.
Family Reaction and Calls for Reform
Parfitt’s father, identified as Adkins, voiced deep anger and grief, describing the situation as “bloody disgusting” and likening the health system’s handling of his daughter’s care to playing Russian roulette with people’s lives. He asserted that if his daughter had known the wait would be short, she would have remained at Palmerston North ED. Adkins also referenced a recent incident at Waikato Hospital where a patient died in a toilet, saying the family had felt sympathy for that tragedy only a week before experiencing a similar loss themselves. He called for systemic improvements to prevent other families from enduring comparable heartbreak.
Impact on Family and Future Plans
Parfitt was a mother of five who had helped other relatives navigate their own medical issues, and her death leaves a profound void in the family. The family had been planning a trip to Fiji in six weeks, a vacation Parfitt had eagerly anticipated; now there will be an empty seat on the plane. Should they still go, they intend to bring her ashes with them as a way to keep her close. The tragedy underscores the human cost of delayed emergency care and highlights the urgent need for more responsive services for patients suffering from chronic pain conditions.