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A patient with a history of schizophrenia was "obviously not well enough" to be discharged from the General Hospital a few weeks before his death, a psychiatrist has told an inquest.
Giving evidence at the inquest into the death of islander Michael Watkins yesterday, Dr Rachel Ruddy said she had been surprised that Mr Watkins had been deemed fit to be discharged back to St Saviour's Hospital when she was called to assess the 60-year-old.
Mr Watkins, the owner of a local gardening businesses, died on 16 August 2021 from acute cardiac failure which followed neuroleptic malignant syndrome – a rare and life-threatening reaction to antipsychotic drugs characterised by fever, muscle rigidity, and altered mental status.
Dr Ruddy said that she had been serving in the position of liaison psychiatrist when she was called to the General Hospital on 9 July in anticipation that Mr Watkins was medically fit and could be discharged.
"It was obvious that he was not well enough to be transferred," she said. "He was propped up in bed, sweaty and not responding – he looked very unwell."
Dr Ruddy said she was "really confused" why Mr Watkins had been considered fit for discharge, but added that her role was an advisory one, and she had not been responsible for the care of patients.
Dr Sarah Sharkey, one of the junior doctors who treated Mr Watkins in August after he had been transferred to Cedar Ward on the St Saviour's Hospital site, said there had been a deterioration in his condition, and that he was soaked in sweat, agitated and had a shuffling gait.
The team of three doctors looking after Mr Watkins were all new to Cedar Ward, Dr Sharkey said, including a locum consultant who was brought in as a result of staff sickness, including Covid-19, and annual leave.
"There was a whole new set of patients and there wasn't that continuity there," she said.
Dr Sharkey said she had limited experience of treating neuroleptic malignant syndrome, but that her recollection was that this was described as being a previous issue for Mr Watkins, not something that was considered a medical emergency at the time [in August].
The inquest heard that there were potential difficulties with hearing the evidence of another doctor involved, Dr Vikram Paranna, because he was now working as a medic on a cruise ship, and it was unclear whether a link could be set up to allow him to appear online.
Relief Coroner Sarah Whitby said she would tackle the issue of Dr Paranna's evidence later in the inquest, which is set to continue until tomorrow or Friday.
INQUEST DAY 1: "Prescribing error" saw Hospital patient given 16 times drug dose
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