LGH deaths referred to coroner following inquiry into falsified record allegations

Six deaths at a Northern Tasmanian hospital will be investigated by a coroner following a review into allegations that records were falsified by a former staff member. The latest findings.

Launceston General Hospital. Picture: Amber Wilson

A coroner will investigate six deaths at the Launceston General Hospital following an independent review into the hospital’s death reporting processes.

The independent review was set up in February after LGH nurse and midwife Amanda Duncan told a parliamentary inquiry that a former manager regularly altered patient death records at the hospital.

Amanda Duncan.

Ms Duncan told the inquiry that she had received multiple reports from doctors and nurses that the manager had amended the cause of death on medical certificates without their knowledge.

Department of Health acting secretary Dale Webster said the review, led by adjunct professor Deb Picone, found that all six deaths were assessed by the same hospital staffer and should now be referred for consideration by a Tasmanian coroner.

“We are committed to supporting any families and individuals who may be affected by this process,” he said.

“All of these cases were originally assessed by a single staff member, who is no longer employed by the Department of Health.

“As a result, the independent panel will now examine further cases that the identified staff member was involved in.”

The cases occurred at an unspecified time, and it is unknown which patients were affected.

Mr Webster said the panel had informed the Department that they had not observed any practices or evidence that indicated a systemic issue at the hospital.

“The Panel Chair has commended staff on the high standard of care provided and quality of documentation observed through the file and case reviews,” Mr Webster said.