Doctors warned Andrea could die without safe housing, then discharged her to sleep on the streets

Andrea Woodley, a First Nations woman in Western Australia, has been discharged from the hospital to sleep on the streets despite explicit medical warnings that she could die without access to safe housing. Woodley has been battling septicemia, a life-threatening condition triggered by infected wounds. Her family and advocates fear that her continued lack of a stable home will lead to a fatal outcome, as she has been in and out of hospital for several weeks due to the severity of her illness.^[1][2]

Despite the critical nature of her health, Woodley remains on a lengthy waiting list for government assistance. She has been on the priority public housing list in Western Australia since 2023, yet advocates warn it could be another two years before she is allocated a home. This timeline persists even though her medical condition was exacerbated by sleeping rough, a situation that nearly cost her her life during previous bouts of sepsis.^[1][2]

The disconnect between medical necessity and housing availability has left Woodley's family in a state of distress. While doctors have identified safe housing as a requirement for her survival, the current public housing system in Western Australia is unable to provide immediate placement. Advocates highlight that the two-year projected wait for someone already on the priority list underscores the severe shortage of available accommodations for the state's most vulnerable residents.^[1][2]