Philomena Platt ‘starved to death’ in Prince of Wales Hospital: son

Philomena Platt entered hospital with swallowing difficulties but her family say a nine-day delay in getting a feeding tube in resulted in her “starving to death in front of us”. Her son Luke wants answers.

A man watched his mother “virtually starve to death” in a NSW hospital after staff failed to insert a nasogastric tube to feed her for nine days.

And his quest for answers has hit a hospital bureaucratic brick wall.

Luke Platt said his 86-year-old mother Philomena Platt went to the Prince of Wales Hospital on June 14, 2021 with dysphagia, or swallowing difficulties due to a benign mass in her throat.

She could not eat or drink and needed a nasogastric tube inserted in her nose to her stomach to get nutrients — but Mr Platt said she did not receive one for nine days and then only after he intervened.

The nasogastric tube needed to be positioned with the help of radiology because other attempts had failed.

“She needed it positioned under imaging, that was cancelled on three occasions and one day ran into another and given her age and the fact she needed the nasogastric tube. It wasn’t placed in until day nine,” he said.

Clinical notes on day three of Mrs Platt’s stay recommend a scope with which “should not be delayed given the patient has been NBM (nil by mouth) for 78 hours” and “need plan for diet over weekend” and “keep NBM until scope performed”.

Philomena Platt in January of 2021.

Luke Platt says his mother “starved” at Prince of Wales Hospital. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

On day four, another note reads “has not eaten in ages, needs NG feed asap”.

Mr Platt said the only reason his mother finally got the nasogastric tube on day nine is because he pleaded with the gastroenterology team to surgically insert it.

“It required me to personally intervene and seek the help of a specialist outside the treating medical team in an attempt to save her life,” he said.

By then, nine days had passed without food and Mrs Platt had deteriorated badly.

“She did virtually starve to death in front of us,” he said.

“Because her hydration had been dropping over that period of time her veins started to collapse which is a common complication in older patients. Mum had become so weak and … was in so much discomfort she withdrew all treatment.”

Mrs Platt was moved to palliative care and died after one month in hospital.

Mr Platt obtained his mother’s medical records and noted various alerts by staff.

“These alerts to the treating doctors and my persistent requests about placing the nasogastric tube were all completely ignored,” he said.

Mr Platt made an official complaint to the Health Care Complaints Commission but his concerns were not ­addressed after the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, which governs the PoW Hospital, withdrew from the resolution process.

“And then the HCCC decide without any further comment (to) just close the case and withdraw their support of my complaint,” Mr Platt said.

“How many other patients is this happening to? All my questions were ignored.”

A spokeswoman for the Prince of Wales Hospital said: “We acknowledge the concerns of Mrs Platt’s loved ones during this difficult time … the care provided to Mrs Platt has been thoroughly investigated and reviewed”.

“The Prince of Wales Hospital has also provided a detailed response to the Health Care Complaints Commission.”