The Northern Territory Health Department is staying tight-lipped about what a scathing coronial report could mean for the future of health services in the Top End. Irene Magripilis was a healthy 75-year-old woman when she underwent a high risk operation to remove an intestinal growth at Darwin Private Hospital on May 27, 2015. She died of multi-organ failure due to a sepsis infection — caused when an internal stitch failed and bile leaked into her abdomen — after being transferred to Royal Darwin Hospital’s ICU. In his report into her death, Coroner Greg Cavanagh said the health department and Top End Health Service should consider his findings “in their dealings with and licensing of the Darwin Private Hospital”.
