Doug, 73, died 20 days after a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine

Doug’s death soon after receiving the Covid vaccine was a tragedy, but what happened to his medical records has further traumatised his family. INSIDE THEIR HEARTBREAK>>>

THE grieving family of a man who died following a Covid-19 vaccine fear they have been swept up in an anti-vax campaign, following an administrative blunder by the Royal Hobart Hospital.

In a separate incident, a Hobart general practitioner who accessed the deceased man’s records has been ordered to undergo mandatory training on “ethical and evidence-based” decision making in regards to vaccines.

Peta’s husband Doug* died at the Royal Hobart Hospital on April 17, 2021.

Doug, 73, had the AstraZeneca vaccine on March 29 2021.

According to the hospital notes, there was a “possible causal relationship” between the AstraZeneca vaccine administered to Doug and his death from cardiac arrest resulting in hypoxia and subsequent brain damage.

Peta and Doug together

Doug was a father of five and former disability support worker.

Peta said the family including the couple’s adult children had been deeply affected by his death.

“They just adored their dad, all of them,” she said.

Peta and Doug together on their wedding day

Adding further distress was the family’s battle to obtain Doug’s discharge summary and hospital records.

It took the RHH 10 months to provide these records to the family’s GP.

At the same time Dr Reinhard Hemm of Gore Street Medical in South Hobart was able to access the records after becoming aware of Doug’s case.

This was despite Dr Hemm having never treated Doug.

Dr Reinhard Hemm who is a GP at Gore St Medical in South Hobart

The findings of an RHH investigation confirmed Dr Hemm requested Doug’s medical records on December 22 2021 and the information was sent on January 6.

Gore Street Medical Centre was the subject of public backlash in December when the centre sent a blanket email to patients urging them to attend an anti-vaccine rally.

Peta said the practice’s links to anti-vaccine messaging caused additional trauma.

“Doug and the family believed in getting vaccinated to protect ourselves and the community - it was the right thing to do. Losing Doug has deeply affected us all and I couldn’t sleep at night. Doug believed in looking after vulnerable people and we know the last thing he’d want is to have anything to do with an anti-vax campaign,” Peta said.

Neither Gore Street Medical nor Dr Hemm responded to the Mercury’s requests for comment on why Doug’s records were sought.

The Royal Hobart Hospital

The RHH issued an apology to Doug’s family on March 7 this year for releasing the information to the medical practice.

The hospital said the information officer failed to identify the medical records were for a deceased person, resulting in the check for consent provided by next of kin not being completed.

“Our assessment is that this was human error resulting in inappropriate release of the medical record, thus constituting a data breach,” the RHH’s letter to the family said.

The family complained to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) about the breach.

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner said it could not act on the release of the records because Doug was deceased.

AHPRA has since placed conditions on Dr Hemm’s registration in relation to his views on vaccines.

The conditions dated May 12 say Dr Hemm: “must undertake and successfully complete a program of education, approved by the Medical Board of Australia and including a reflective practice report, in relation to ethical and evidence-based decision making especially in regard to vaccinations and exemptions.”

Franklin MP David O'Byrne says Metro needs security guards to crack down on child gangs. Picture: Kenji Sato

Franklin MP David O’Byrne, who has been advocating for the family, said the case was concerning on a number of levels.

“It sends a chill down the spine of any Tasmanian that interacts with the public system that something could happen so easily and I’m glad the government and the health bureaucracy acknowledged the problem and apologised and I do hope they take the necessary steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” Mr O’Byrne said.

Chief Executive, Hospitals South Susan Gannon said the RHH had strengthened its information protocols.

“Again, the RHH sincerely apologises to (the) family and has assured them that steps have been put in place to prevent it from happening again.”

*Peta has asked for her surname to be withheld to protect the privacy of the extended family.

WHAT HAPPENED TO DOUG?

Doug, 73, of Hobart received a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine on March 29, 2021.

Doug’s wife Peta said he later began to experience problems with coordination and sensations.

“He was dropping things, and he couldn’t feel anything in his arms and when he got out of bed one morning he couldn’t feel his feet,” she said.

He was taken to hospital when his condition worsened and he experienced swallowing difficulties.

According to Royal Hobart Hospital notes Doug was admitted with increasing weakness and malaise with sensory changes in his feet and hands of around four days duration.

Peta of Hobart who's husband Doug died after having a covid vaccination in 2021. His medical records have been accessed by a doctor who is anti-vax without permission in 2022. Picture: Linda Higginson

Following a consultant neurologist review, an MRI was planned with a presumptive diagnosis of sensory neuropathy secondary to medication or post-vaccination.

Doug experienced an unwitnessed cardiac arrest on April 11.

He was resuscitated but suffered brain damage.

Following a prolonged period in the ICU his care was withdrawn on April 17 and proceeded to organ donation.

A notification was made to the Therapeutic Goods Administration and Commonwealth Vaccine Operations Centre with regard to the possible causal relationship between his vaccination and diagnosis.