Finding into death of William Heale

67y · Male·Acute on chronic renal failure with pyelonephritis

William Heale, a 67-year-old man with Down syndrome and chronic renal failure, died from acute-on-chronic renal failure complicated by pyelonephritis. He was initially managed in the community with support from the Department of Human Services, then hospitalised in January 2011 with haematuria and renal obstruction. He was transferred to palliative care on 2 February 2011 with a Not For Resuscitation order and died 8 days later. The coroner found he received appropriate care despite multiple complex comorbidities. Post-mortem findings confirmed pyelonephritis with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. No errors or preventability issues were identified by the coroner.