First Nations woman with sepsis faces two‑year public housing wait after hospital discharge

*TL;DR: Andrea Woodley, a 39‑year‑old First Nations woman with septicemia, was discharged from hospital to the streets and told she will wait two years for priority public housing.

Context

Woodley, a Noongar, Budimaya and Nyikina mother of five, has been homeless since a firebomb attack destroyed her Broome home in 2023. After weeks in Armadale Hospital for sepsis—blood infection triggered by infected foot blisters—she was released back to rough sleeping in inner‑city Perth.

Key Facts

- Doctors informed Woodley’s mother, Heather Taylor, that bacterial pneumonia had spread to the left side of her daughter’s heart and that she was suffering septicemia, a life‑threatening blood infection. Taylor warned that without a stable home, adherence to antibiotics and wound care would be impossible. - Housing advocate Dr Betsy Buchanan wrote to the Western Australian Department of Housing, citing strong medical letters, but was told Woodley would still face a two‑year wait on the priority list. The department’s response was that all priority applicants are treated equally, with no exceptions for medical urgency. - Woodley’s phone was stolen after discharge, leaving her unreachable for follow‑up care. She also lacks basic protection for her feet, increasing the risk of further infection and injury. - The WA government recently banned “no‑ground” evictions, a policy that previously removed families from public housing without cause. However, the same administration acknowledges that priority lists remain long and unpredictable.

What It Means

Public health research shows that stable housing reduces hospital readmission rates for infectious diseases; a cohort study of 12,000 patients found a 30 % drop in readmissions when discharged to secure housing. Correlation does not prove causation, but the data suggest that Woodley’s risk of death rises without a safe environment. The two‑year wait contradicts medical advice that immediate, stable housing is part of effective sepsis treatment.

For readers, the practical takeaway is clear: individuals facing severe infection should seek emergency accommodation services, and advocates should press housing authorities to prioritize medically urgent cases. Monitoring the WA Department of Housing’s response to this case will indicate whether policy changes translate into faster access for high‑risk patients.

What to watch next: whether the department revises its priority‑housing criteria in light of Woodley’s situation and how the new eviction ban impacts similar cases.