FATHER’S ANGUISH
Inquest denied over mental health death
TODAY Tony Tumanis will be commemorating the three-year anniversary of the death of his son Arkadiusz “Arthur” Tumanis (left).
Arthur was found dead in a chair outside Cairns Hospital’s mental health unit on April 14, 2015, with the cause of death determined to have been a ruptured stomach ulcer.
How or why 39-year-old Arthur – who also suffered from schizophrenia – died alone in that chair, however, still remains unclear for Mr Tumanis who has since been informed there will be no coronial inquest to examine the matter.
This is despite the hospital since making several changes to the admissions process between its emergency department and mental health unit, acknowledging improvements were needed.
THE father of a man found dead on a chair inside Cairns Hospital three years today has vowed to keep fighting for answers, despite being denied a coronial inquest into his son’s death.
Arkadiusz “Arthur” Tumanis was found dead outside the mental health unit’s reception area on April 14, 2015, after spending four days in the hospital.
The 39-year-old’s cause of death was a ruptured stomach ulcer.
His father, Tony Tumanis, claims Arthur died unnecessarily, as his son – who also suffered from schizophrenia – had complained of stomach pain for several days and had not been moved to a medical ward.
The hospital has since made several changes to the admissions process between its emergency department and mental health unit, acknowledging improvements were needed.
Mr Tumanis will be commemorating Arthur’s death today , but adding to his pain is the decision by Northern Coroner Kevin Priestly not to allow the matter to proceed to a coronial inquest.
In an email to Mr Tumanis this week, Mr Priestly wrote that there was “no individual action or single event that was responsible for (Arthur’s) death”.
“I do not believe that an inquest will assist me better in understanding the missed opportunities and the adequacy of the remedial action taken in response,” he said.
Mr Tumanis has also been informed that Queensland’s Health Ombudsman will not be examining the matter.
But he is now pursuing answers through the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency, which has told him this may involve a twoyear investigation.
“For me, it’s important to have some kind of closure,” he said. “I’m not looking for blood, or for anyone to lose their job, or even their licence to keep their job going – I just want some honesty and some answers.”
He said his family was still struggling with the pain of losing Arthur.
“I think about him every day,” he said. “The pain never goes away.” Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service executive director Tina Chinery expressed her deepest, heartfelt condolences to the Tumanis family, on behalf of the health service.
She said recommendations from an internal investigation following Arthur’s death – including a review of the admission process between the emergency department and the mental health unit, and further training for all mental health staff – had since been implemented within the service.
“The safety of our patients is our highest priority and our health service is committed to continuous improvement in the interests of ensuring our patients receive the highest quality care in our facilities,” she said.
Mr Tumanis said he was relieved to hear CHHHS had made some changes to improving its patient care.
“Possibly the death of my son wasn’t in vain,” he said. “But it still was unnecessary.”
FOR ME, IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOME KIND OF CLOSURE TONY TUMANIS