Annastacia Palaszczuk’s partner Reza Adib to give evidence at inquest into death of patient
Former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s partner is at the centre of a Brisbane coronial inquiry investigating the death of his patient in the days following weight loss surgery.
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The partner of former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is at the centre of a Brisbane coronial inquiry investigating the death of his patient in the days following weight loss surgery, with one medical expert questioning whether it should have gone ahead.
Rosemarie Campbell, 62, died at her home at Pacific Pines on the Gold Coast on February 27, 2022, three days after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery at The Wesley Hospital in Brisbane by Reza Adib.
The surgery was targeted at both gastro-oesophageal reflux and weight loss, Brisbane Coroners Court heard at a pre-inquest conference on Wednesday.
Counsel assisting Geoffrey Diehm KC told the court that the morning after Ms Campbell’s discharge, her de facto partner Shane Campbell had heard a loud thump while downstairs making her coffee.
Mr Campbell had rushed back to the bedroom to find his partner face-down and unresponsive, and attempted resuscitation himself while waiting for emergency services, Mr Diehm said.
Despite their efforts, Ms Campbell was declared dead at 8.56am.
The court heard Ms Campbell had requested her discharge from hospital, fearing she wouldn’t be able to get home due to flooding at the time.
Mr Diehm said hospital tests had returned with no signs of bowel obstruction, but Ms Campbell had woken the morning of her death with difficulty mobilising.
He said the inquest, which was scheduled for later this year, would examine the circumstances of her discharge and the adequacy of the treatment received from Dr Adib and other hospital staff, including whether she had been properly informed of the risks.
Mr Diehm said the inquest would further examine the cause of Ms Campbell’s death, which the autopsy report suggested was likely due to sepsis from a combination of acute bacterial peritonitis and pneumonia.
The court heard Dr Adib and two nurses would give evidence throughout the inquest, along with several medical experts, about the surgery and circumstances of Ms Campbell’s discharge.
Mr Diehm noted medical expert Professor Wendy Brown had suggested that Ms Campbell’s weight gain since earlier surgery in 2020 was not significant enough that the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery was justified in the first place, without further investigation into Ms Campbell’s reflux symptoms.
Prof Brown’s report found that the reflux was likely caused by a recurrent hiatus hernia, which she said likely contributed to Ms Campbell’s peritonitis.
Prof Brown had further suggested that if Ms Campbell had been monitored in hospital more closely, hospital staff would have identified the bowel obstruction later found in the autopsy report and the possible hernia, Mr Diehm said.
Mr Diehm noted Dr Adib had responded to Prof Brown’s report, saying Ms Campbell had not had private health insurance and couldn’t afford the extensive tests suggested by the expert.
Mr Diehm said Dr Adib had further stated he would not have permitted Ms Campbell’s discharge if the extent of her symptoms, which included significant vomiting the morning of her discharge, had been disclosed to him by the nurses.
The court heard a date for the inquest was yet to be finalised, as one of the nurses would be overseas during the date in June originally proposed.
Separate from the coronial inquest proceedings, Ms Campbell’s son Robert Hicks has recently filed a medical negligence lawsuit suing Dr Adib and The Wesley Hospital for more than $520,000.
The case is ongoing and no findings have been made, with Dr Adib yet to file a defence.
Originally published as Annastacia Palaszczuk’s partner Reza Adib to give evidence at inquest into death of patient
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