NSW: Coroner investigates girl's care after golfball hit

AAP General News (Australia)
04-10-2007
NSW: Coroner investigates girl's care after golfball hit

SYDNEY, April 10 AAP - A coroner is investigating the standard of medical care provided
to a Sydney schoolgirl who died in hospital after she was hit in the head by a golf ball.

Vanessa Anderson, 16, died on November 8, 2005, two days after her skull was fractured
in an incident at Asquith Golf Club, in Sydney's north-west.

The teenager was struck on the right side of the head by a ball during an under 18's
golf competition.

She was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital but before she could undergo planned surgery,
suffered a seizure and died, Glebe Coroners Court was told in an opening statement today.

Deputy NSW Coroner Carl Milovanovich heard that Vanessa was not given any anti-convulsant
medication after her admission to hospital.

However, she was given increasing amounts of pain killers and after her death, four
times the therapeutic level of codeine was found in her system.

Mr Milovanovich also heard that a nurse failed to notify doctors of significant changes
in Vanessa's condition - including loss of movement and memory - in the hours before her
death.

In a statement to the court, the hospital acknowledged that "there were flaws in the
care" provided to Vanessa.

Questioned about the hospital's statement outside court, Vanessa's father Warren Anderson
said for "a person that's lost their daughter it's shallow".

Mr Anderson told reporters the inquest was "gut wrenching" for him and his wife but
he was fighting to ensure hospitals were safe places.

"I've said from the word go, it's a comedy of errors and I just don't want any other
family going through what we're going through."

The inquest continues.

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KEYWORD: ANDERSON

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