Inquest into the Death of Kevin John KEATH

76y · Male·metastatic prostate cancer with terminal palliative care

Kevin John Keath, aged 76, died from metastatic prostate cancer while serving a life sentence at Casuarina Prison. He received holistic, compassionate, and appropriate healthcare throughout his incarceration, including regular medical reviews, specialist consultations, and high-quality palliative care. One minor issue was identified: a repeat colonoscopy recommended in 2020 was not scheduled until 2022 (and subsequently cancelled due to COVID-19), attributed to his voluminous GP summary not being adequately transcribed. However, the coroner found this did not affect his clinical outcome. The coroner commended clinical staff for excellent palliative care but noted that early transfer to Bethesda Health Care would have been preferable to provide a more suitable end-of-life environment and better family access. Overall, the standard of care was equivalent to or better than community standard.