Anaesthetist sues hospital over alleged delays in daughter’s meningococcal diagnosis

Dr Brian O'Connell says he developed psychiatric injuries as a result of her 'very late' diagnosis
Phoebe O’Connell. Photo: Newspix

An anaesthetist is suing a major private hospital over his daughter’s allegedly delayed diagnosis of meningococcal sepsis. 

Dr Brian O’Connell says his daughter Phoebe developed end-stage renal failure, requiring a kidney transplant from her mother, as a result of the November 2018 infection. 

He alleges that Mater Hospital failed to perform suitable diagnostic tests or respond appropriately to the 18-year-old’s deteriorating vital signs over the course of two separate presentations to ED.

The hospital is yet to file its defence in response to the claims.