A LACK OF CARE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3829, 2 August 1927, Page 68

A LACK OF CARE.

WOMAN’S DEATH IN HOSPITAL. DOCTORS AND NURSE CENSURED. _ CHRISTCHURCH, July 27. lhe committee is of opinion that the house surgeon’s records of this case are by no means satisfactory. The committee considers that the lack of something relerred U by tne coroner was that careful investigation of the mental faculties of the patient by the honorary surgeon and the house surgeon, and also of observation on the part of the sister in charge of the '' ard / . Th ! s failure to realise the damage to the brain led to her discharge. x The fact that she was discharged did not contribute to the patient’s death.” The above clause was contained in the report of a special committee which was set up by the Hospital Committee of the North Canterbury Hospital Board to investigate the circumstances re<mrdin" the discharge from hospital of Mrs M'Knight, who died after readmission to the hospital from injuries received through stepping n- % ,aov ' n S tramcar. The coroner, in his finding at the inquest, stated : “It seems to me that there was a lack of something I do not want to say' a lack of care but something that should not 4i? Ve iT )Cen wanting. I shall leave it to the Hospital Board and the public to say whether any remedy is possible. Mrs M’Knight was brought into hospital on the evening of dune 15, and was discharged from hospital on the following Sunday. She was subsequently readmitted to the hospital on June 27 and died on June 30. It js clear,” added the committee’s report, ‘that the responsibility of discharge of patients must rest on the honorary medical officer in charge unless it is delegated specifically by him to some othei officer. Dr Sandston agreed to the dis charge of the patient in a day or two provided lhat her condition was all right. J, e house surgeon who discharged her tailed to see her on the dav of discharge. It is doubtful if any special regulations in legard to the method of -discharging would avoid such occurrences. A special accident admission list in the medical superintendent's office might be helpful and ensure prompt personal observation of tile cases. The report was adopted.