Systemic failures recognising sepsis led to man’s death - 20HDC01970

In a decision released today, deputy health and disability commissioner Vanessa Caldwell has found Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora breached the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights (the Code) for providing an inadequate standard of care to a man with multiple myeloma (blood cancer) while he was in remission.

Dr Caldwell also says the case highlights several systemic and organisational issues within the Haematology service at Auckland City Hospital at the time of events.