Leading pastoralist’s husband sues clinic, hospital for compensation over her death

THE husband of a leading NT pastoralist who died from sepsis in 2018 is suing the Katherine Hospital and local Aboriginal health clinic on behalf of her large extended family

• Coroner probes death of Joanne Craig at Katherine hospital
• Katherine Hospital ‘very sorry’ for death, inquest hears

THE husband of a leading NT pastoralist who died from sepsis in 2018 is suing the Katherine Hospital and local Aboriginal health clinic on behalf of her large extended family.

A Coronial inquest found Jo-Anne Craig’s death could have been prevented if she’d been immunised against the infection that led to the sepsis or if doctors had acted earlier to treat her with antibiotics.

According to a statement of claim filed with the Supreme Court and obtained by the NT News, her husband Steven Craig is now seeking compensation from the Katherine District Hospital and Wurli-Wurlinjang Health Service.

The document claims Mrs Craig visited the Wurli Clinic multiple times after turning 50, the age at which it is recommended Indigenous people be vaccinated against streptococcus pneumoniae.

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It says clinic staff had a duty of care to advise Mrs Craig of her increased vulnerability and take all reasonable steps to provide her with the immunisation but failed to do so.

“The first defendant breached its duty of care by failing to take any of the vaccination measures during any of the attendances,” it reads.

“The deceased did not receive vaccination against streptococcus pneumoniae and hence remained vulnerable from 2017 and onwards.”

Jo-Anne Craig died of sepsis at the Katherine Hospital in 2018.

The document says that by 11.41am on the day Ms Craig was admitted to hospital she had an elevated heart rate, a raised white blood cell count and was running a temperature of 39.9 degrees among other symptoms of sepsis.

“Given the signs and symptoms, by midday, the staff of the second defendant ought to have diagnosed the deceased as suffering from bacterial sepsis,” it reads.

“Given the signs and symptoms, the staff of the second defendant should have administered generic intravenous antibiotics promptly.”

The document claims that if not for the clinic’s failure to immunise her and the hospital’s failure to provide a timely diagnosis and treatment, Mrs Craig would not have died that day.

In handing down his findings into Mrs Craig’s death in 2019, Territory Coroner Greg Cavanagh recommended that GPs “make every effort” to ensure Indigenous people were vaccinated against streptococcus.

Mr Cavanagh also recommended that Top End Health Service make sure its staff were “competent in the recognition of sepsis and escalation of treatment and that such efforts are ongoing”.

The document lists a total of more than 30 children, grandchildren and other family members with a claim to compensation for the loss of Mrs Craig.

Each defendant is yet to file a defence to the claims.

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