Central Coast resident Joshua Maxwell was forced to wait eight months for potentially life-saving surgery at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital.
The 32-year-old writer and playwright was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect as a child, which deteriorated as he got older.
In May 2024, he was booked in for an elective open-heart surgery at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital after his body started rejecting medication needed to keep him stroke-free.
Maxwell’s surgeon classified him as a category two patient, meaning his surgery should have taken place within 90 days, with his surgeon preferring a 45-day widow.
But the wait for open-heart surgery at Westmead Hospital turned out to be 210 days (238 if the days the hospital was not operating at full capacity over Christmas and the New Year are taken into account).
“I first rang to check on a date at the end of June, allowing for the 45-days preferred by my surgeon, and got the news that my surgery would be delayed – that was a big hit,” Maxwell said.
“Every few weeks I would call and get the same message – no date yet.
“The problem with that was that the reason I was having surgery was that I kept having minor strokes.
“They were trying to avoid me having what they call a ‘lights out’ stroke.
“The hospital was telling me to present to a GP if I became symptomatic, but if I had been showing symptoms it would have been too late for a GP to help.
“I thought I was going crazy at one point.”
To make matters worse, Maxwell was also diagnosed with a neurological condition which can exacerbate strokes.
“I was in an extremely dark place,” Maxwell said.
“Having a third heart surgery is not common and was always going to be extremely risky, given complications I had had in two previous surgeries.
“I was caught up in my own mid – hoping each day that I wouldn’t have a stroke.”
Maxwell said despite his surgery being confirmed as urgent at a second pre-op appointment in August last year, he still had to wait almost six months after that.
On January 23 this year, Maxwell was finally booked in for surgery.
“I have not been provided with any real reason for the delay,” he said.
“No one has apologised to me personally and although the hospital, and apparently the Minister, have made public statements on my case, nothing has been said to me personally.”
Maxwell now faces a lengthy recuperation period, with no idea of when he might be able to return to his work in the arts sector.
“With all my other conditions I am looking at six months’ recovery minimum,” he said.
To make matters worse, Maxwell was scheduled to take part in a six-week intensive program at Prince of Wales Hospital to help manage his neurological condition.
During his lengthy wait for heart surgery, that program was de-funded.
“I am now denied that program, which I desperately need,” he said.
“From a cardiac perspective things are looking OK, with more check-ups and surgery down the line, but from a neurological perspective there is no end in sight.
“I am still working through the mental health impacts of ordeal.”
A spokesperson for Western Sydney Local Health District’s (WSLHD) said its top priority is the safety and care of patients and apologised to Maxwell for the delay in his surgery.
“We understand how challenging it can be when patients wait longer than they expect for their procedure,” the hospital said.
“We also acknowledge that there were shortcomings with our communication to Joshua about his surgery.”
The hospital said surgeries are categorised by treating surgeons based on a clinical assessment of urgency.
Once clinically ready for surgery, a patient’s categorisation is reassessed and they are booked in and treated according to the recommended timeframes.
“Any patient who believes their condition has deteriorated is encouraged to contact their doctor for a clinical review and can be placed in a higher urgency category if required,” the hospital said.
“As of 30 June 2025, there were no overdue patients requiring heart surgery.”
Hospital feedback can be submitted at www.wslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/ContactUs#feedback
Terry Collins
