Inquest into the disappearance and suspected death of KL

62y · Male·not stated - body never found

KL, a 62-year-old journalist with a long history of depression, anxiety, and alcohol use disorder, was admitted to St Vincent's Hospital's psychiatric units (PECC and Caritas) in June 2020 following suicidal ideation. After approximately two weeks of treatment with psychiatric medication adjustment and successful leave periods, he was transferred to South Pacific Private Hospital (a voluntary facility) on 7 July 2020. The following morning he left the hospital and walked towards Lighthouse Reserve in Vaucluse; he has not been seen since. The coroner found the decision to transfer him to a less restrictive voluntary setting was clinically reasonable, supported by the treating team's observations of improvement and the principle of least restrictive care. However, the coroner identified deficiencies in information transfer between hospitals, including failure to convey KL's ambivalence about the transfer and missed opportunities for direct psychiatric handover. These communication gaps may have reduced SPPH's ability to fully assess his suitability. The coroner found no basis for formal recommendations but noted SPPH subsequently improved its pre-admission procedures.