Topic: Healthcare

Thursday, 6 August 2026, 2:00 pm

Thursday, 6 August 2026, 2:47 pm

Western Health is looking into how a woman got the wrong surgery.

In short:

The government is looking into a mistake where a woman got the wrong surgery.

The woman's lawyer said she woke up to find the wrong procedure had been done.

What's next?

Western Health said it cannot talk about individual patients.

The state government is investigating the mistake.

Debra Buchanan went to the hospital for a minor procedure.

She woke up to find that a part of her body had been removed by mistake.

Her lawyer said the hospital made a big mistake.

The lawyer said many safeguards failed to prevent the mistake.

The hospital has not apologized for the mistake.

The woman is now scared to go back to the hospital.

She had to go back to surgery to fix the original problem.

The woman is seeking damages and wants to share her story.

The government says an investigation is underway.

The Department of Health is reviewing the incident.

The government minister said the incident was extraordinary.

Safer Care Victoria is working with Western Health.

Western Health said it is committed to open communication with patients.

The hospital cannot comment on individual patients.

The hospital will review the incident and share the findings.

The woman's lawyer said the hospital has not apologized.

The hospital has accepted that the wrong procedure was done.

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