Arabic version: تواجه وزارة الصحة اتهامات بشأن وفاة مريض في مستشفى داروين

NT WorkSafe has charged Northern Territory Health in connection with the death of a mental health patient at Royal Darwin Hospital. The 22-year-old patient, who was an in-patient at the hospital’s Joan Ridley Unit, accessed and inhaled aerosol from a deodorant can during “grounds leave,” leading to their death.

According to ABC News, NT WorkSafe has filed three counts against NT Health for failing to comply with health and safety duties. The charges allege that the patient was able to obtain and inhale the aerosol contents while under the department’s care in 2022.

An NT WorkSafe spokesperson stated that the health department could face fines up to $4.5 million if found guilty of all charges. The spokesperson emphasized that despite the known risks, the patient was able to access the aerosol can within the hospital facility, resulting in fatal injuries.

A coronial inquest in 2024 revealed that the patient, referred to in court as Ngalarina, had purchased the aerosol deodorant from the hospital’s pharmacy while under the supervision of a security guard shortly before their death. Ngalarina was discovered unresponsive in a bathroom with an empty aerosol can beside them and could not be resuscitated.

Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage noted that the health department had admitted to a lack of clear procedures for managing mental health patients in general wards. The coroner determined that Ngalarina’s death was preventable and recommended extending the ban on aerosol cans hospital-wide or securing them if medically necessary. NT Health will face the Darwin Local Court tomorrow.