NT Health Faces Charges Following Patient's Death from Aerosol Inhalation
NT WorkSafe charges health department over hospital aerosol can death
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NT WorkSafe has charged Northern Territory Health with three counts of failing to ensure safety after a 22-year-old mental health patient died from inhaling aerosol at Royal Darwin Hospital. The department could face fines up to $4.5 million. The case will be heard in Darwin Local Court.
- 01The 22-year-old patient, referred to as Ngalarina, accessed an aerosol can from the hospital's pharmacy while on grounds leave.
- 02A coronial inquest revealed that aerosol cans were freely available for purchase at the hospital, which has since changed its policy.
- 03NT Health has been charged with three counts of failing to comply with health and safety duties.
- 04The health department could face fines of up to $4.5 million if found guilty.
- 05The coroner recommended extending the ban on aerosol cans hospital-wide or securing them if medically necessary.
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Northern Territory Health has been charged by NT WorkSafe following the death of a 22-year-old mental health patient, Ngalarina, who inhaled an aerosol can while under care at Royal Darwin Hospital. The incident occurred in 2022 when Ngalarina, who had been involuntarily admitted for mental health issues, accessed the aerosol can from the hospital's pharmacy during grounds leave. An inquest revealed that the patient was found unresponsive in a bathroom with an empty aerosol can nearby. The coroner, Elisabeth Armitage, noted that NT Health lacked clear procedures for managing mental health patients in general wards, leading to Ngalarina's preventable death. The health department faces three charges related to failing to meet safety duties, with potential fines totaling $4.5 million. Following the incident, aerosol cans have been removed from public access within the hospital, and the coroner recommended further restrictions on their availability.
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The case raises significant concerns about patient safety protocols within the hospital, particularly for mental health patients.
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