Australian hospital left Aboriginal man to die alone in agony from surgical injury
Doctors repeatedly blamed the man for his own death, which they did not believe was worth reporting
Medical failures at Royal Darwin hospital left an elderly Aboriginal man “untreated to die in pain” from an infected surgical injury, even after he complained he could “feel his body shutting down”.
When Albert Wilson’s family sought information about his sudden deterioration and death, Top End Health Service staff told them the 78-year-old was to blame for their lack of involvement in his treatment during his final days.
Communication issues were denied by the institution and in effect the deceased was blamed
The Northern Territory coroner has issued a scathing report detailing multiple failures by the health service, in findings released on Friday.
Coroner Greg Cavanagh said there was “poor communication with the man’s family, poor communication between doctors, poor note-taking in recording communication with the family, failure of the risk management system, inadequate care and treatment of a dying man, and failure to report the death to the coroner”.
He said for 18 months after Wilson’s death, “the communication issues were denied by the institution and in effect the deceased was blamed. That was an insult to the deceased and his family”.
“Top End health service seemed more intent on defending its actions than critically analysing the facts,” Cavanagh said.