NURSES IGNORED BY PATEL

Patel 'gave all-clear on patient who died'

Article from: AAP

February 12, 2009 11:36am

SURGEON Jayant Patel called the wife of one of his alleged victims and told her the operation he had just performed had been a complete success, a court has been told.

Judy Kemps told the Brisbane Magistrates Court today Dr Patel had said her husband Gerry was experiencing "a little bit of bleeding" following an operation on his oesophagus at the Bundaberg Base Hospital in December 2004.

She said the 58-year-old doctor sounded happy with how the operation had gone, and said the bleeding was nothing to worry about.

However, the court was told Mr Kemps died the following day from internal bleeding.

Dr Patel is facing 13 charges, including three of manslaughter, relating to his time as director of surgery at the hospital from 2003 to 2005.

The crown alleged Dr Patel failed to stop the blood loss during Mr Kemps' operation, and that he left Mr Kemps bleeding for several hours so he could conduct non-emergency surgery on another patient.

Prosecutor Ross Martin SC told the court that when Dr Patel returned to check on Mr Kemps, he did not seek specialist help and completed further surgery without stopping the bleeding.

Nurse Gail Doherty, who helped with the operation on Mr Kemps, told the court she was worried about the amount of bleeding.

She said she expressed her concerns to Dr Patel and the anaesthetists, but that she was ignored.
Nurse Marie Goatham said she was also "very uncomfortable" with the way the operation on Mr Kemps went, and she went home that night and made detailed notes on the procedure.

She said she too had tried to raise concerns with Dr Patel about the bleeding, but that he had ignored her.

The committal hearing continues.