lack of mental health beds at the Royal Darwin Hospital has been raised as a contributing factor in the preventable death of Pukumani Alimankinni.
Outside the courtroom on Wednesday, family members and Munupi men and women painted their faces before performing a number of songs, led by senior Munupi man Mr Tungatalum — including the kookaburra song, in honour of Pukumani's totem.Coroner Elisabeth Armitage thanked Pukumani's family members, some of whom had travelled from the remote Tiwi Islands community of Wurrumiyanga, for their participation in the coronial process.
The lawyer representing NT Health, Tom Hutton, acknowledged the "considerable shock and anguish" that had been caused by Pukumani's death, and said the department took "full responsibility" for the failings that had contributed to herCounsel assisting the coroner, Beth Wild, canvassed several issues and failings the coroner is expected to consider when making her final recommendations.
"Your Honour might consider a recommendation to NT Health … that a review be undertaken into if or how it might be possible to have a central prescriber who has control of prescribing medication in certain circumstances, namely where there are multiple medications required and a patient has a relevant comorbidity," she said.Ms Wild particularly underlined bed block at the JRU as a significant issue.
She said inquests were "being used as an opportunity, again and again, to outline the need and the impact of that need not being met on individuals, on family and staff at the hospital".Ms Wild urged the coroner to acknowledge and advocate for additional funding for mental health beds, as well as additional staff to monitor those beds, in her recommendations.
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