Robyn Ann Beale died tragically, less than 24 hours after her hemithyroidectomy. She had the surgery done at Mater Private Hospital Mackay (MPHM) in August 2021. The inquest into her death just recently got underway. It seeks to determine the events leading up to her surgery and the post-surgical care that ensued. The question will be – did hospital staff live up to the standard of care. It will evaluate whether they had the appropriate skills to handle the potential arising complications.
When Robyn Beale went into emergency surgery on August 2, 2021, it was to remove her massively swollen thyroid, often referred to as a goiter. To treat this condition, she saw Dr. William Fitzgerald. After the surgery, during which half of her thyroid had been removed, Beale was under regular surveillance at MPHM. But then her condition suddenly deteriorated the next day.
Critical Moments Before Cardiac Arrest
In the early hours of August 3, Robyn Beale experienced a sudden deterioration at around 1:40 am. She told a nurse that she couldn’t breathe. This alarming development prompted a call to Dr. Fitzgerald at 2:38 am, during which hospital staff informed him that Beale was in cardiac arrest.
As a medical professional, Dr. Fitzgerald should have been outraged at the sequence of events. He testified that it made him “very, very upset” that he was not alerted sooner that Beale was having trouble breathing. He underscored that this delay was very troubling to him after her untimely death. The question of timely intervention hangs over all testimony and evidence as the inquest continues to examine the hospital response during this critical window.
Examination of Surgical Competence and Hospital Protocols
Another big topic that came up throughout the inquest was Dr. Fitzgerald’s proficiency. The issue therefore became whether he was sufficiently trained to conduct the thyroid resection. He hadn’t performed that operation since October 2020. This called into question his competency to carry out the procedure, leading top barrister David Schneidewin – who is helping coroner – to grill him.
The inquest will look into whether any aspect of the treatment provided at MPHM contributed to or expedited Beale’s untimely death. The coroner aims to assess if hospital staff were equipped to detect and manage potential complications, particularly in relation to bleeding, a critical factor that may have impacted Beale’s recovery.
Dr. Fitzgerald stated that he witnessed no intraoperative bleeding at all post-op. In the end, when Dr. Smith completed the procedure around 4 PM on August 2, what happened next has led many to wonder whether the hospital’s post-operative monitoring and response protocols are sufficient.
Family Members Attend Inquest
All but one of Robyn Beale’s immediate family were present on the first day of the inquest. Their presence reminded us all how personal this tragic incident has become. They are oftentimes looking for answers as to why their loved one’s death occurred. They want the proceedings to help shed more light on what happened.
The inquest is set to resume Tuesday, with more testimony from medical professionals and family still to come. Investigators are still combing through the particulars of this case. Their aim is just to hold these companies accountable and provide better protection for patients in the future.
