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| Indigenous woman died from treatable sepsis after hospital sent her home, court told | Indigenous woman died from treatable sepsis after hospital sent her home, court told |
| (3 months later) | |
| A pregnant woman who died in a NSW hospital, after she was given paracetamol and sent home, likely died from an infection that could have been treated with antibiotics, a coroner’s court has heard. | A pregnant woman who died in a NSW hospital, after she was given paracetamol and sent home, likely died from an infection that could have been treated with antibiotics, a coroner’s court has heard. |
| Naomi Williams, a 27-year-old Wiradjuri woman, died at the Tumut hospital on 1 January 2016, with the cause of death recorded as meningococcal and septicaemia. | Naomi Williams, a 27-year-old Wiradjuri woman, died at the Tumut hospital on 1 January 2016, with the cause of death recorded as meningococcal and septicaemia. |
| On the first day of an inquest into Williams’ death, the Gundagai courtroom heard she “almost certainly” died from sepsis associated with the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, a serious infection that is, however, treatable with antibiotics. | On the first day of an inquest into Williams’ death, the Gundagai courtroom heard she “almost certainly” died from sepsis associated with the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, a serious infection that is, however, treatable with antibiotics. |
| “Naomi did not receive antibiotic treatment and succumbed to overwhelming sepsis, which caused her death,” counsel assisting, Lesley Whalan SC, told the inquest. | “Naomi did not receive antibiotic treatment and succumbed to overwhelming sepsis, which caused her death,” counsel assisting, Lesley Whalan SC, told the inquest. |
| “Whilst the evidence to this point establishes the cause of death to the standard of proof required in these coronial proceedings, many questions about the manner of Naomi’s death remain.” | “Whilst the evidence to this point establishes the cause of death to the standard of proof required in these coronial proceedings, many questions about the manner of Naomi’s death remain.” |
| Williams had presented to hospital 18 times in the six months prior to her death, in severe pain and vomiting and sometimes with diarrhoea and dehydration, but was repeatedly referred to mental health or drug and alcohol services for her marijuana use to deal with her pain. She had been discharged for the last time just 15 hours prior to her death. | Williams had presented to hospital 18 times in the six months prior to her death, in severe pain and vomiting and sometimes with diarrhoea and dehydration, but was repeatedly referred to mental health or drug and alcohol services for her marijuana use to deal with her pain. She had been discharged for the last time just 15 hours prior to her death. |
| Williams’ final visit to the emergency room lasted just 34 minutes – triaged at 12.19am by one nurse, and given paracetamol by another six minutes later. | Williams’ final visit to the emergency room lasted just 34 minutes – triaged at 12.19am by one nurse, and given paracetamol by another six minutes later. |
| Death of Indigenous woman turned away from NSW hospital 'preventable' | |
| At 12.53am the first nurse noted Williams was “conversing well with staff and was happy to go home and sleep,” the court heard, and records suggested hers was a non-urgent presentation for “mild symptoms”. | At 12.53am the first nurse noted Williams was “conversing well with staff and was happy to go home and sleep,” the court heard, and records suggested hers was a non-urgent presentation for “mild symptoms”. |
| However, just hours later an ambulance was called to her home, and she was pronounced dead the following day. | However, just hours later an ambulance was called to her home, and she was pronounced dead the following day. |
| Whalan revealed there would be contradictory evidence presented. | Whalan revealed there would be contradictory evidence presented. |
| Nurses’ records said Williams presented to hospital and told them she hadn’t been sick since the previous day – a claim contradicted by evidence from Williams’ partner, Michael Lampe, that she’d been vomiting that night. Lampe also said she had been complaining of headaches, as well as back pains and spasms. | Nurses’ records said Williams presented to hospital and told them she hadn’t been sick since the previous day – a claim contradicted by evidence from Williams’ partner, Michael Lampe, that she’d been vomiting that night. Lampe also said she had been complaining of headaches, as well as back pains and spasms. |
| The court also heard half an hour before she arrived at hospital Williams had texted a friend: “You wouldn’t be able to get me to hospital, would you? I can barely move.” | The court also heard half an hour before she arrived at hospital Williams had texted a friend: “You wouldn’t be able to get me to hospital, would you? I can barely move.” |
| Whalan said the differences in the accounts “rendered this inquiry mandatory”. | Whalan said the differences in the accounts “rendered this inquiry mandatory”. |
| There were also questions about the level of antenatal care Williams was receiving, and whether she should have been referred as a high-risk pregnancy – due to her symptoms and her indigeneity. As a pregnant Indigenous woman, Williams was also at higher risk of sepsis. | There were also questions about the level of antenatal care Williams was receiving, and whether she should have been referred as a high-risk pregnancy – due to her symptoms and her indigeneity. As a pregnant Indigenous woman, Williams was also at higher risk of sepsis. |
| The inquest will hear evidence of how Williams was treated on multiple visits to medical centres and 18 to hospital, where she had admitted to using marijuana for pain relief and was often referred to mental health or drug and alcohol services. Her family said she was not dependent on marijuana, and the services would report back there was “nil dependence” or mental health issues, but the referrals continued. | The inquest will hear evidence of how Williams was treated on multiple visits to medical centres and 18 to hospital, where she had admitted to using marijuana for pain relief and was often referred to mental health or drug and alcohol services. Her family said she was not dependent on marijuana, and the services would report back there was “nil dependence” or mental health issues, but the referrals continued. |
| “The high number of presentations to hospital that Naomi made over that period of seven months or so to 1 January 2016 gives rise to questions about the way Naomi was assessed and how her presentation was interpreted in 1 January,” Whalan said. | “The high number of presentations to hospital that Naomi made over that period of seven months or so to 1 January 2016 gives rise to questions about the way Naomi was assessed and how her presentation was interpreted in 1 January,” Whalan said. |
| Lawyer George Newhouse, who was representing Williams’ family said: “She became, it appeared from the records we heard today, depressed and miserable from being in constant pain, constant vomiting without any relief.” | Lawyer George Newhouse, who was representing Williams’ family said: “She became, it appeared from the records we heard today, depressed and miserable from being in constant pain, constant vomiting without any relief.” |
| Talea Bulger, a close friend of Williams, said the friends and family were not at the inquest “to lay any blame or to look to condemn anybody”. | Talea Bulger, a close friend of Williams, said the friends and family were not at the inquest “to lay any blame or to look to condemn anybody”. |
| “We’re here to remember Naomi, remember her baby and to get some answers,” she said. | “We’re here to remember Naomi, remember her baby and to get some answers,” she said. |
| The inquest is expected to hear extensive evidence that race played a part in the way Williams was treated when she sought help, and the way her family was treated after she died. | The inquest is expected to hear extensive evidence that race played a part in the way Williams was treated when she sought help, and the way her family was treated after she died. |
| “We only want what’s fair for everyone, and that’s to be treated with respect, be heard,” said Sue Bulger, a friend of Williams, outside the court. | “We only want what’s fair for everyone, and that’s to be treated with respect, be heard,” said Sue Bulger, a friend of Williams, outside the court. |
| The inquest will run for one week in Gundagai before adjourning, and will hear from medical staff and Williams’ family. A second week, which will hear evidence from expert witnesses, will be held at a later date. | The inquest will run for one week in Gundagai before adjourning, and will hear from medical staff and Williams’ family. A second week, which will hear evidence from expert witnesses, will be held at a later date. |
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