Insights Categories: Coronial

Cyber Security Awareness Month – Are you cyber aware?

October is Cyber Security Awareness Month (CSAM). CSAM is an annual reminder for Australians to stay safe online and protect your online information and assets. The theme for CSAM 2023 is ‘be cyber aware – don’t compromise’. CSAM is an opportunity for businesses to review their understanding of ‘cyber security’ as a concept while continuing […]

Coroners Court Directions Hearings now required within 28 days for mandatory inquest deaths

The Victorian State Coroner recently issued Practice Direction 5 of 2020 – ‘Directions Hearings in Mandatory Inquests’, requiring that in all cases where an inquest must be held, and unless reasons exist otherwise, a Directions Hearing will be convened within 28 days of the death being reported to the Coroner. A mandatory inquest is required […]

Coroner’s findings emphasise the potential risks of relying on telehealth without in-patient review

Recently we published an article outlining some of the risks and limitations for medical practitioners using telehealth to provide care for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.  In particular, we discussed the need for practitioners to consider and assess whether a consultation is safe and clinically appropriate to be conducted via telehealth, or whether an in-person […]

Coroner recommends new standard for in patient observations

The Coroner has recommended that the Chief Psychiatrist in Victoria formulate a directive in relation to standard protocols for conducting visual observations of patients at in-patient facilities. The recommendation comes as the result of findings at the inquest into the death of a woman who passed away whilst she was an in-patient at a private […]

Medication Misadventure – Methotrexate: A reminder to pharmacists to exercise independent judgment about the safety of a prescribed medicine.

This article was originally published as a PDL Practice Alert. It was written by Scott Ames, Principal and PDL Professional Officers, John Guy and Gary West. A recent inquest into the death of an elderly patient in Victoria [1] has put a spotlight on a pharmacist’s duty to exercise independent judgement when dispensing medication.   Background On 29 […]