NSW: Some of the key findings of the HCCC report released today

AAP General News (Australia)
12-11-2003
NSW: Some of the key findings of the HCCC report released today

The Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) investigation released today analysed
47 specific clinical incidents that occurred between June 1999 and February 2003 at Campbelltown
and Camden Hospitals.

The report found 14 deaths had occurred at Campbelltown Hospital, one at Camden and
six at Liverpool Hospital after patients had been transferred from either Campbelltown
or Camden.

Some examples of the incidents which showed questionable patient care and safety at
both hospitals were:



* A patient died less than an hour after being discharged from emergency department
after attending with severe central chest pains.

* A patient died six days after surgery for a perforated intestinal ulcer.

* A 72-year-old died of a post-surgical infection 16 days after surgery.

* A 26-year-old died several hours after being admitted to the intensive care unit
with respiratory distress due to asthma.

* A 56-year-old died of a heart attack after being transferred from Campbelltown to Liverpool.

* A patient with severe chest pain was discharged from an emergency department when
no bed with a cardiac monitor could be found. She died a few hours later.



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