Coroner's Finding: Woolley, Jillian
Deceased
Jillian Ann Woolley
Demographics
58y, female
Date of death
2014-09-18
Finding date
2022-08-12
Cause of death
aspiration pneumonia following palliative treatment for frontotemporal dementia
AI-generated summary
Jillian Ann Woolley, aged 58, died of aspiration pneumonia on 18 September 2014 at Roy Fagan Centre following palliative sedation for terminal frontotemporal dementia. She had been severely distressed with uncontrolled behavioural and psychiatric symptoms unresponsive to conventional treatments. After comprehensive discussion with her family, a Goals of Care plan designated Category C (palliative) was implemented. From 4 September 2014, levomepromazine and phenobarbitone were titrated to induce sedation, achieving symptom relief and dignity before death within two weeks. The coroner found the decision to palliate was in accordance with current ethical practice and supported by family consensus. However, the finding emphasises that advance care directives completed while the patient had decision-making capacity would have clarified her own wishes and reduced family burden. The coroner noted Tasmania lacks legislative protection for medical practitioners involved in palliative care hastening death.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Specialties
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- frontotemporal dementia (terminal phase)
- palliative sedation with levomepromazine and phenobarbitone
- loss of protective swallowing reflex due to sedation
- inability to take oral intake
- absence of advance care directive
Coroner's recommendations
- Completion of Advance Care Directives at an earlier stage of disease when patients possess decision-making capacity would be beneficial to clarify patients' own wishes and reduce family burden
- Consideration of extending guardianship orders to include medical decision-making authority in complex cases where consensus cannot be established
- Legislative protection for medical practitioners providing palliative care in Tasmania similar to protections in other Australian jurisdictions
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