17 June 2013

Media Release

Health Minister Skinner and Deputy Premier Stoner give the okay for Medically Caused death of Disabled in NSW.

It appears that the NSW Health Minister Skinner and Deputy Premier Stoner support Human Rights Abuse leading to death of disabled man Don Mackay. By their weak response to questions on Notice by Greens Dr. John Kaye MLC they have given approval to the shocking treatment and death of one of the most vulnerable in our society (see questions and answers attached)

In NSW the disabled can be killed by gross medical negligence and there is nobody to stand up for them. In NSW you can have complicated surgery done on a disabled man’s fragile lungs in Royal North Shore hospital Sydney by Cardiothoracic Specialists who it is reported “assumed” testing had been done even though they did not possess these tests. If the pilot of a plane assumed there was enough fuel in the tanks but did not check that would be gross negligence – not so with this Cardiothoracic Surgeon.

As the admitting and operating Surgeon he is responsible because of the following -

·       Did no ECG prior to surgery although Don had Pericardial Effusion

·       Did neither blood tests nor any pathology done before surgery. There was no Coagulation Profile

·       Did no X-rays or Scans nor seen prior to surgery, (they were still in Port Macquarie). Cardiothoracic Surgeons would know that when a patient is transported by air the sudden changes in air pressure, from the unpressurised planes especially, affects the brain fluid and lung fluid, and can be life threatening. This should have been allowed for and makes it even more important that X Ray/ CT Scans should have been in front of the two Surgeons and the Anaesthetist

·       Saw no Anaesthetist until in the theatre

·       Not seen by his Cardio Thoracic surgeon before Theatre

·       Signed up by a doctor after a long night being flown down to the hospital on a routine Ambulance flight (not an emergency)

·       The person who signed him up the night before was not part of the surgical team. (met him later – he was almost impossible to understand)

·       No detailed physical examination - No one knew anything about his multiple conditions before surgery (Quadriplegia 25 years duration – serious health issues)

·       A Spirometry test done in Port Macquarie recorded a “Lung  Age: More than 100 years” Don was 56 – these results the Cardiothoracic Surgeon had but he proceeded minus precautions.

·       During Surgery (Pleurodesis) the Surgeon used Ungraded Talc known to be connected to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (which developed) was used. Since his death, they no longer use this. They were aware it was linked to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).

·       His right lung was meant to be suctioned until all the fluid was removed at the gentle suction of 3KPA. RNSH admit that a transcription error caused his lung to be suctioned (vacuumed) at 10 times that value at 31KPA. This was left like that for almost 24 hours and was not spotted by Cardiothoracic Doctors, and the Spinal Unit’s nurses till 8am the next day.

·       Don’s Spinal Outreach Dr Leong recorded a month previously that Don had “low threshold for drainage of effusions...” this 31KPA mistaken drainage was a disaster.

·       I was not informed of this serious mistake till 7 months after his death – They all covered it up

·       Cardiothoracic Surgeons were totally ignorant of “Quadriplegic breathing” which makes it harder to breathe while sitting up when there are problems. They ordered him sat up in his wheelchair. He suffered three hours of extreme torture trying to breathe against gravity He rapidly deteriorated and had a Respiratory Arrest that night – the first of many. It is Medical knowledge and the Cardiothoracic Surgeon should have known not to sit up someone with suctioning of the lungs in progress as this can cause the Pleurodesis surgery to fail and can lead to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. (ARDS is in the medical notes). This happened

·       It was the responsibility of the surgeon to see that all procedures pre and post surgery are followed. Almost none of the regular procedures were followed

·       Spinal nurses, Doctors, and Cardiothoracic Surgeons were grossly negligent over the next days. He was treated badly as his condition became dangerous. He began to hallucinate and gasp for breath

·       On the night of the first of his respiratory arrests, he called my name for three hours according to his roommate and THEY DID NOTHING. I was five minutes away and had given them instructions to call me at any time if he needed me or things got worse

·       The next five weeks in RNSH’s Intensive Care Unit were horror-filled for him.

·       The filth and negligence caused sepsis

·       He was tied arms to the bed and gagged by tubes so much so he bled at times from the sides of his mouth.

·       Both lungs drowning and full of fluid. MRSA and Klebsiella Pneumoniae filled them with bloody mucus.

·       He was bought cruelly to Respiratory Arrests by their mismanagement of his air supply.

·       One time he was breathing 50 breaths per minute. An ICU nurse stood and did nothing. She said, “I think he’s trying to talk”

·       There is a list of his suffering and bad research far too long to include here – all documented.

It was a death caused by gross negligence, ignorance, stupidity, arrogance, filth and cost cutting. All this can be done and Health Minister Skinner says it’s all been thoroughly investigated by the “independent Health Care Complaints Commission, who declared all the above and more “acceptable”. 

Therefore it is now acceptable in NSW to butcher the disabled and no one is ever accountable. The Health Minister, Mr Stoner, the HCCC are a disgrace. Please tell me that in today’s civilised society there is somebody who will stand up to such shocking abuse of a disabled man bordering on Eugenics.

Please contact me for clarification. I have written proof of all I claim. It is a complicated story but in its entirety it must be exposed – see as well attachment emails of Mr Stoner’s support and footage of his launching my book in 2010 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AfJ9oYqiiI

Therese Mackay

www.withoutduecare.com