Chemo bungle coroner’s inquest delayed while reports are prepared
A CORONER’S inquest into chemotherapy underdosing at two of Adelaide’s biggest hospitals will be delayed until the end of the year while specialist reports are prepared.
A CORONER’S inquest into chemotherapy underdosing at two of Adelaide’s biggest hospitals will be delayed until the end of the year while specialist reports are prepared.
Deputy State Coroner Anthony Schapel convened a directions hearing on Tuesday to discuss a timetable for the inquest into the deaths of Christopher McRae, 67, who died last November and Johanna Pinxteren, 76, who died in June 2015.
Bronte Higham, 67, whose vocal and harrowing testimony prompted the State Government to begin a number of investigations into the chemotherapy bungle, was also added to the inquest after his death in August.
Counsel assisting the coroner, Naomi Kereru, told the inquest haematology expert Professor John Gibson would not be able to prepare a preliminary report for the inquest and that the investigation would be delayed until his findings were presented near the end of the year.
Mr Schapel concluded there would be little point in requiring Professor Gibson to give a “running commentary on his thought process” and adjourned the matter to an unconfirmed date later in the year.
The delay comes as little comfort for victim Andrew Knox who is waiting for both the inquest and the release of other reports commissioned by the State Government.
“The coroner’s findings won’t be available for the better part of a year or longer,” Mr Knox said.
“While we are alive we would like closure.”
Mr Knox said he had been in communication with both Premier Jay Weatherill’s and Health Minister Jack Snelling’s offices requesting a copy of the report conducted by former New South Wales health care complaints commissioner Kieran Pehm.
Mr Weatherill had confirmed the reports into the chemotherapy underdosing had been made public in a letter to Mr Knox in early August, but the report has yet to surface.
“The Premier and (former SA Health chief) David Swan gave victims a concrete undertaking that the Commission on Safety and Equality report would be made public and available at the first opportunity,” Mr Knox said.
“I have contacted both the Premier’s and the Health Minister’s chiefs of staff who have not even bothered to respond.
“This report is one of the reasons the Premier gave for not starting a judicial inquiry and I now call on him to put this before a judge.”
An SA Health spokeswoman said: “SA Health is considering the Australian Safety and Quality Commission’s detailed report which will be provided to the patients, families and then the public, shortly.”
The chemotherapy bungle led to 10 leukaemia patients at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Flinders Medical Centre being given half the recommended dose of the drug Cytarabine between July 2014 and January 2015.
The inquest will examine whether the dosage mishap contributed to the deaths of Mr McRae, Ms Pinxteren and Mr Higham and will involve testimony from a number of medical professionals associated with the care of the patients.
The deaths of Mr McRae and Ms Pinxteren were not originally reported to the coroner and an argument over whether Mr Schapel has jurisdiction over the inquest will likely take place when it starts.