Inquest into the Death of Doherty, Craig James

39y · Male·propofol toxicity

Craig Doherty, a 39-year-old clinical theatre nurse at Royal Perth Hospital, died from propofol toxicity in June 2010. He had unrestricted access to propofol as an anaesthetic agent and misappropriated it for recreational use. Propofol was stored in unlocked cupboards with minimal monitoring or auditing requirements, unlike restricted Schedule 4 or Schedule 8 drugs. The coroner found that propofol's availability without adequate storage controls or accountability measures enabled the deceased to accumulate a large quantity. While Doherty had a prior suicide attempt in 2008, evidence supported an accidental rather than intentional overdose. Key clinical lessons include: propofol requires stricter controls despite operational complexity; healthcare institutions must implement accountability measures for high-risk drugs; staff with access to potent drugs require better monitoring; and technical solutions combined with physical security warrant consideration to balance emergency access with safety.