In 1988 the Illawarra community rallied around 16-year-old Trudy Davis; raising $100,000 to enable her to undergo lifesaving surgery in Switzerland for an aggressive brain tumour.
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A quarter of a century later in December 2013, the now 42-year-old mother of two boys was refused admission to Shellharbour Hospital after presenting with breathing difficulties, and was sent home where she died of respiratory distress hours later.
On Thursday the Barrack Heights’ woman’s parents – Karenne and Geoffrey Davis – attended a Professional Standards Committee hearing held by the Medical Council of NSW in Sydney.
The Health Care Complaints Commission is prosecuting a complaint against Dr George Chimpanda, alleging he is guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct for his actions on the evening Ms Davis presented at the hospital’s emergency department.
Her mother told the inquiry that Ms Davis had been admitted to Shellharbour Hospital in August 2013 for respiratory issues, and had begged to be admitted on the night of December 12, 2013.
‘’For my daughter to sit there and cry and say “I’m sick, I need to be in hospital’,’’ she said.
Mr Davis picked up his daughter just after 11pm.
“I took her home and that was the last time I saw her,’’ he said.
“Getting out of the car she said to me – I’d had four heart attacks – she put her hand on my heart and said ‘look after your heart dad’.’’
The hearing heard from expert witness Dr Jeannie Ellis, Queanbeyan District hospital ED director from 2009 to 2014.
Dr Ellis said Ms Davis’ concerning blood oxygen levels, her clinical history and her age should have led to her condition being ‘’treated aggressively’’.
‘’In a clinical context, we have a young Aboriginal woman who clearly has lots of co-morbidity,’’ she said.
‘’This woman does have respiratory failure and acute exacerbation of her chronic illness. It should have led this clinician to start some therapy in the (ED).’’
In her cross examination, counsel for Dr Chimpanda, Elisa Tringali, noted Ms Davis had not presented with many of the obvious signs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – such as a chronic cough.
Outside the hearing, Mr and Mrs Davis, could not contain their grief.
‘’She fought tumours to stay alive, yet she was sent home where she died,’’ Mr Davis said.
Mrs Davis added: ‘’She was the most giving, caring person – she lived for her children and her family. Nothing was too much trouble and she died needlessly.’’
Mary Wortmeyer, a registered nurse taking care of Ms Davis prior to her discharge, also spoke at the inquiry: ‘’She didn’t feel confident she should go home yet’’.
The hearing continues on Friday, with Dr Chimpanda due to address the inquiry. A decision is not expected to be made for several weeks.
