Coroner hands down recommendations after death of William Edmunds

Speaking on behalf of the man's family after coronial findings into the death of William Edmunds, 79, were released this week, solicitor Kate Williams told The Border Mail the man's family "were extremely pleased" with recommendations handed down.

Deputy NSW coroner Erin Kennedy recommended her findings on the care and treatment provided by Liu-Ming Schmidt, who botched a bowel operation on Mr Edmunds on November 7, 2019, be handed to the commissioner. Mr Edmunds died 25 days after the initial operation after complications of peritonitis contributed to by Dr Schmidt's surgical error.

Ms Williams said a "groundbreaking" recommendation to come out of the tragedy - that patients may request a doctor who makes an error no longer be involved in their care - meant that Mr Edmunds did not die in vain and that there would be positive outcomes, especially for patients in rural areas.

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"Under the coroner's recommendation, now, if surgeon makes a significant error which becomes subject to the need for open disclosure, any need for subsequent surgery will be removed and the patient does not need to consent to having that surgery done by that person," Ms Williams said.

"It will put an end to cases when people have had shocking mistakes happen and then the person who made the mistake comes in to try and fix it and cover up their mistake by not writing what they really found upon surgery and the second operation.

"This happens very frequently in rural towns, and then people never know what really happened to them. In the Edmunds case, why Dr Schmidt should have done the second surgery is just disgusting." Ms Williams described the possible outcomes regarding future procedures at Albury as "innovative" and said the family was particularly happy with a recommendation to further investigate Dr Schmidt.

Albury Wodonga Health chief executive Bill Appleby said AWH "deeply regrets the tragic passing of Mr Edmunds and again offer our deepest sympathies".

"Albury Wodonga Health is actively reviewing the coroner's recommendations," he said.

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