Inquest into the death of Diane Eastcott

Case Number: 2018/212947

Date of Findings: 6 May 2022

Magistrate: Deputy State Coroner, Magistrate Derek Lee

Catchwords: CORONIAL LAW – Care and treatment, Ryde Hospital, Macquarie Hospital, Lavender House, concurrent administration of contraindicated medication, verapamil, metoprolol, electronic prescription system, eMeds, pharmacist review, discharge summary, general practitioner follow-up, continuation of prescribed medication

Responses

Recommendations

To the Chief Executive, Northern Sydney Local Health District:

1. I recommend that a review be conducted of the circumstances relating to the re-admission of Diane Eastcott to Macquarie Hospital following her discharge from Ryde Hospital on 28 June 2018 in circumstances where Diane's discharge summary from Ryde Hospital was not sent to, or not received by, Diane's usual general practitioner, in order to ensure that appropriate mechanisms exist to allow for a discharge summary to be received by a discharged patient's general practitioner as intended.