Finding into death of Robyn Joy Wanstall

56y · Female·Malnutrition arising from refusal of oral intake in a setting of palliation with antecedent causes being phenylketonuria with intellectual disability

Robyn Wanstall, a 56-year-old woman with phenylketonuria, intellectual disability, Parkinson's disease, and suspected multiple myeloma with hypercalcaemia, died from malnutrition due to refusal of oral intake in a palliative care setting. She was admitted to Wantirna Palliative Care Unit in May 2012 after declining health and progressive refusal of food and fluids. Pain and seizure control were managed with transdermal buprenorphine and subcutaneous clonazepam. The coroner found the care provided was reasonable and appropriate, with no preventable factors identified. The death was expected and occurred in the context of an appropriate palliative approach.