DEATH BLUNDER
They told me he was discharged - witness Hospital, police to launch probe
BARWON Health and the police are investigating how a family was led on a frantic five-day search for a missing Geelong West man only to later learn he was lying dead in a morgue. The Addy understands the man — Jeffrey Conway (pictured) — had a fall while eating at Geelong West cafe Two Sugars on Friday, September 20 and was rushed to Geelong hospital.
BARWON Health says it is investigating how a family was led on a frantic five-day search for a missing Geelong West man, only to learn he was lying dead in a morgue.
Victoria Police have also admitted shortcomings in notifying the distressed family of the death last month.
The Addy understands the man, Jeffrey Conway, had a fall while eating at Geelong West cafe Two Sugars on Friday, September 20 and was taken to Geelong hospital.
Waitress Tiettu Popping said she witnessed the incident when she called into the cafe with her mother for a coffee.
“He had a really big fall and Mum put him in the recovery position,” Ms Popping said.
“He wasn’t breathing properly and his condition was not good so we called for an ambulance.
“We tried to call his sister but we couldn’t get on to her.”
Ms Popping said that her mother went to the hospital, and later told her that Mr Conway “wasn’t waking up, he was unconscious, so she didn’t know what happened”.
Ms Popping visited the hospital, on the Sunday, two days after the incident in the restaurant, to check on Mr Conway but said she was told he had been discharged on the Saturday.
In fact, he died shortly after being admitted and his body was transferred to the coroner’s morgue in Melbourne.
“Six days later I get a phone call at Two Sugars from his sister asking if he has come into the shop and have we seen him,” Ms Popping said.
“I said he hadn’t come into the shop since his fall, I’ve checked the hospital and I’m pretty sure he’s gone home.
“She had no idea that he had been discharged or was even in hospital.”
It’s believed Mr Conway’s sister raised a missing person’s report with police.
During the search for Mr Conway, the hospital was apparently called many times by police and the family to confirm if he had been discharged.
Several days later, Mr Conway’s family learnt he had died on the day he was admitted to the hospital.
Barwon Health CEO Frances Diver has apologised to the family over the incident, describing it as a “shocking blunder”.
Ms Diver said Barwon Health was liaising with Victoria Police over the incident.
“We’re very sorry that the family has experienced a delay in being notified about the death,” she said. “Barwon Health is undertaking an investigation of what occurred in this instance and it appears to be a miscommunication.
“It’s a dreadful miscommunication, and it’s not acceptable.
“Once the investigation is complete, we will implement any changes that we need to do to make sure it doesn’t occur in the future. Barwon Health takes full responsibility for the miscommunication that occurred.”
Ms Diver said when patients came to the hospital and Barwon Health was unable to identify the patient or their family, police and the coroner became involved.
“All of those notifications occurred appropriately, subsequently the family contacted Geelong Hospital and it appears we have said that the patient was discharged when in fact they had deceased,” she said.
Police spokeswoman Kendra Jackson said police “have identified some shortcomings in the process of notifying the family of the death of a Geelong West man at a Geelong hospital on September 20”. A DRIVER fearing a collision ran from his 4WD after it crashed into a railway line in South Geelong with the vehicle being struck by a train minutes later.
Emergency crews were called to the accident on Barwon Tce — between Hede and Fowler streets — about 8.10am yesterday.
The P-plater told the Geelong Advertiser he lost control of the car, which then dropped about 2m down an embankment, before slamming into the railway line.
“I tried to over-correct and ended up coming down on the embankment over the other side and up and over the train tracks and then wedged over (the track),” he said.
“Police have spoken to the family of the deceased and apologised for any added stress this has caused during an already difficult time,” she said.
“We are currently conducting a comprehensive review of the circumstances surrounding the delay in notifying the family of his death.”
The Premier, Daniel Andrews, said the incident was “shameful, it’s wrong”.
“There’ll be a proper investigation and I offer an unreserved apology to the family,” he said.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said there was no connection between the mix-up and a recent cyber attack at the hospital.
Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien said Victoria’s health system was in crisis.
He said Barwon Health needed to fully explain how the appalling mix-up happened.
The man said he then quickly exited the car and “ran away” to dodge a potentially dangerous situation.
A V/Line train going towards Waurn Ponds hit the car but, thanks to passers-by who gestured at the driver to slow down, contact was minimal.
“The train was flagged down by passers-by saying, ‘stop, stop, stop’, and (the train driver) has hit the emergency brakes and just hit the rear,” Geelong police Acting Sergeant Shaun Johnson said
There were 18 passengers on board at time of the accident, which saw trains replaced by buses between South Geelong and Waurn Ponds.
Commuters were told to expect delays of about an hour.