Death ‘was not in vain’
THE mother of a woman who died in the care of the Gold Coast University Hospital believes her daughter’s death is saving lives at the medical facility.
Renae Jean Mann, 43, died on May 14, 2014, almost 24 hours after being admitted for a prescription medication overdose. Her family say the overdose was accidental.
Ms Mann, a mother and beauty therapist, was discharged from the emergency ward into the hospital’s mental health assessment pod prior to her death.
“They made mistakes and they should be held accountable but there is a lot more who won’t die because of Renae’s death,” her mother Lynette Mansfield said.
“I believe they’ve (the hospital) changed their processes and people have been saved already.”
An inquest into Ms Mann’s death, held at the Southport Courthouse, heard staff had failed to regularly check on the 43year-old while she was in the mental health pod, instead observing her on CCTV.
She wasn’t breathing for almost three-quarters of an hour before she was attended by staff, the court was told.
Ms Mansfield, who will soon begin grief counselling, said she held no “bitterness or resentment” towards those working at the hospital in May 2014.
Deputy director of the hospital’s emergency department Dr David Spain told the inquest “there were pressures on staff” that led to Ms Mann being “discharged prematurely” on the day she died.
The hospital has changed many of their procedures as a result of Ms Mann’s death.
“I can’t hold any resentment because it would only eat me up and allow me to become bitter and twisted. I’m not going to let them have that power over me,” Ms Mansfield said.
The mother-of-three said the grief of losing her oldest child was “unfathomable”.
“I have never known such grief,” Ms Mansfield said.
“I’ve lost a husband to cancer ... and it was tragic but to lose a child is like some part of you dies as well.”
The coronial findings into Ms Mann’s death are expected to be handed down next year.
“Our family believe she could have been saved had proper care been given on the day of Renae’s treatment,” Ms Mansfield said.