The prison doctor who examined an Aboriginal woman who later died in custody from complications associated with heroin withdrawals has told an inquest he had no training in drug-addiction medicine.
Dr Sean Runacres examined 37-year-old Veronica Nelson when she arrived at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in Melbourne on New Year's Eve, 2019.
The former paramedic considered her well enough to be placed in the general prison population.
The Gunditjmara, Dja Dja Wurrung, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta woman was found dead in her cell in the early hours of January 2 2020, after repeated intercom calls for help.
Taking the stand today Dr Runacres repeatedly told the inquest he could not recall doing a medical assessment on Ms Nelson despite prison CCTV showing him interacting with her when she arrived at the prison.
“I don’t remember how she presented and I can only rely on medical notes and video footage,” he said.
Gunditjmara, Dja Dja Wurrung, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta woman, Veronica Marie Nelson. Source: Supplied
Medical history inaccurately recorded
Dr Runacres admitted to the Coroner that there were several errors in Ms Nelson’s medical files.
He only made three changes to the files entered by another doctor when Ms Nelson was remanded at the same prison in February 2019.
He did not include that she was withdrawing from alcohol or drugs.
“I don’t believe anybody’s ever going to look at this, so I don’t bother addressing it.”
He also marked her past medical history as Nil despite previous medical files showing she had been treated for drug withdrawal when previously in custody.
“Past medical history NIL... that’s incorrect, isn’t it?" asked council assisting Sharon Lacy.
"Yes," he replied.
Other information relating to Ms Nelson’s hepatitis status was also not transferred from to files filled out on her arrival files to the prison’s main medical notes
“I haven’t done that adequately."
Accusations of lying
Dr Runacres also accused a prison nurse of lying in her evidence to the inquest.
Registered nurse Stephanie Hills broke down while giving evidence earlier, saying she had to physically support Ms Hills to take her blood pressure during her first health assessment.
Counsel assisting the coroner Sharon Lacey asked, “She has told this inquest that you did not get out of your chair."
“Ms Hills is a liar” Dr Runacres said repeatedly.
“I found her to be excitable, alarmed easily and I don’t place a lot of value in her clinical judgment.”
Dr Runacres was also quizzed about Ms Hills’ claims that Ms Nelson could not even walk to the scales to be weighed.
“That is a ridiculous statement. If they are fading in and out of consciousness they are not able to walk down a corridor.
“I don’t make up data. That is reprehensible and that would suggest that information supplied to me (by Ms Hills) is incorrect."
Dr Runacres contradicted the testimony given by the nurse who also examined Ms Nelson. Source: Supplied
Nurse's requests to make statement ignored
Ms Hills told a Victorian coroner she had just finished her medication round when corrections staff informed her of Veronica's death.
A nurse practitioner was among those who escorted her back to the other side of the prison because she was so distressed.
"I couldn't understand why I hadn't been filled in when I'd arrived for my shift in the morning that she'd passed," she said.
Ms Hills said she suggested to her regional manager that she give a statement about her assessment of Veronica.
The manager suggested they do it another time. However even after repeating her request, it never eventuated.
"He didn't want my statement," Ms Hills said.
The nurse said there was a "clear hierarchy" at the prison between Mr Runacres who first assessed Veronica and other nurses.
Ms Hills said she worked between 60 and 70 shifts with him and he often disregarded patients' suggestions of what they needed.
Erin Gardner, the barrister representing Ms Hills' employer Correct Care, earlier questioned Ms Hills on why she did not escalate the matter via the corrections supervisor or arrange for an ambulance to be called.
"What I'm suggesting to you is that the reason you didn't do any of those things, is because it wasn't how you now say it was," accused Ms Gardner.
"That is incorrect," replied Ms Hill.
