Royal Darwin hospital concedes patient’s death ‘avoidable’ as coronial inquest hears of difficulties in caring for mental health patients in general wards
The death of an Indigenous mental health patient at Royalhospital last year was avoidable and due to “a litany of failures”, a coronial inquest has been told.
In her opening address, counsel assisting the coroner, Chrissy McConnel, said the NT health department had conceded Ngalarina’s death was “avoidable” and due to “a litany of failures”.The death in care triggered the mandatory coronial inquest before judge Elisabeth Armitage. Butcher told the court that during a Covid outbreak in the secure mental health wards Ngalarina was transferred to other units – including an orthopaedic ward known as 3A on 31 January 2022.