No disciplinary action should be taken over the death of a Brisbane man who had been administered lethal levels of morphine in a hospital, a Queensland coroner has recommended. Michael Calder, 33, died in Holy Spirit Northside Private Hospital at Chermside in July 2014, days after being admitted for a severe headache. Lawyers representing Mr Calder told a coronial inquest that an autopsy found he had lethal levels of morphine in his blood. Dr Robert Brockett, who treated Mr Calder, told the inquest he was horrified at the amount of morphine in Mr Calder’s blood, as revealed in a subsequent toxicology report. Deputy coroner John Lock found the hospital and treating doctor had already implemented significant improvements and recommended no further changes were necessary. The matter has been referred to the health ombudsmen. The inquest earlier this month heard there were inconsistencies in nurses’ records about how much pain Mr Calder was in and that, at one stage, he was given morphine shortly after it was recorded he had no pain. Nurses on a shift the night before he died also failed to record observations of Mr Calder’s oxygen, but they insisted they would have recorded the levels if they had been a concern. Mr Calder was given oxycontin, multiple doses of ordine — a type of morphine — and ibuprofen across one nursing shift. His partner, Andrea Young, spoke outside the court after the coroner handed down his findings.
