Inquest into the Death of James David HECTOR

47y · Male·bronchopneumonia and upper airway obstruction in a man with end-stage oral cancer, treated palliatively

James David Hector, a 47-year-old Aboriginal man, died of bronchopneumonia and upper airway obstruction related to end-stage oral cancer. He had a 13-year history of squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth with multiple recurrences despite surgical and chemoradiotherapy treatment. At the time of death, he was a remand prisoner. The coroner found he received a high standard of medical and palliative care while in custody, superior to what he received in the community where he was non-compliant with appointments. Efforts were made to arrange bail release or hospital transfer to his home region (Kununurra) in his final weeks, including a bail application listed for the day he died, but these could not be completed in time. The medical care provided was reasonable and appropriate, and restraints were appropriately removed as death became imminent.