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12 — Northern Territory News, Wednesday, June 30, 2010 www.ntnews.com.au PUB: NT NEWS DATE: 30-JUN-2010 PAGE: 12 COLOR: C M Y K HURRY! LAST DAY EXTENDED CALL CENTRE HOURS 7am – 12 midnight *Based on MBF Budget Hospital $1000 Excess in NT including the Federal Government 30% Rebate on private health insurance. Assumes no LHC loading applies. ^For new Bupa Australia members on direct debit only. Offer excludes all overseas visitor covers. Not with other offers. 2 & 6 month waiting period waiver on extras. Other waiting periods apply. Bupa Australia Pty Limited ABN 81 000 057 590. AXH2437/MBF/NN1L your MBF centre POP BY mbf.com.au VISIT 1300 135 623 CALL IT’S CRUNCH TIME MINIMISE THE GOVERNMENT’S LIFETIME HEALTH COVER LOADING WITH HOSPITAL COVER FROM 56c A DAY * Join hospital and extras before June 30 and you’ll not only beat crunch time but you can also start claiming immediately on services including general dental, physiotherapy, chiropractic and optical^ . NATION ‘Dr Death’ is found guilty BRISBANE: The surgeon once dubbed ‘‘Dr Death’’ has been found guilty of killing three patients and permanently injuring another. After about 50 hours of deliberation, the Brisbane Supreme Court jury in the manslaughter trial of Jayant Patel announced it had reached a verdict about 5.40pm (AEST) yesterday. Patel arrived back in court flanked by his lawyers and his wife Kishoree, who has been present for the duration of his 15-week trial. Stony-faced, he stood in the dock as the jury announced he was guilty of the manslaughter of Mervyn Morris, Gerardus Kemps and James Phillips, and of causing grievous bodily harm to Ian Vowles. The charges all relate to Patel’s time as director of surgery at the Bundaberg Base Hospital between 2003 and 2005. Justice John Byrne agreed to a request by crown prosecutor Ross Martin SC to delay sentencing Patel until tomorrow morning. Justice Byrne, however, refused to allow the former doctor to remain on bail until then. Mrs Patel left the courtroom in tears as her husband was led from the dock. She declined to speak to waiting media. During the trial the court was told Patel caused the deaths or injuries by performing the wrong operations on the wrong patients, in a hospital that could not support major surgery. Outside the court Mr Kemps’ wife, Judy, said she was incredibly relieved to see Patel finally brought to justice. ‘‘It’s been a long five years, but it’s all over,’’ she said. ‘‘It’s just all confusing, but I’m just so happy ... I’m free, I’m free. It’s closure.’’ Patient advocate Beryl Crosby said it was a huge relief. ‘‘I hope with all my heart these families can move on,’’ she said. Lost ambo almost costs woman’s life MELBOURNE: A woman suffer- ing a suspected stroke waited 90 minutes for an ambulance to come from just 1km away, and it then got lost twice on the way to hospital, her husband says. Graham Gourley said by the time his wife, Ann Gallon, arrived at hospital, she had just minutes to receive vital medication to help break up a potential blood clot. The 46-year-old mother-of-two was eventually diagnosed with a brain tumour, but Mr Gourley said the ambulance delay was a joke and feared it could lead to deaths in other cases. The incident has reignited calls for greater funding for ambulance services ahead of this year’s state election, and whether ambulances should be equipped with GPS. Ms Gallon’s traumatic journey unfolded on June 17, when she lost the use of her right side. Mr Gourley said the family doctor called an ambulance and the surgery had to call triple-zero twice more to find out where it was. Both times they were told it was ‘‘on its way’’, before it arrived 90 minutes later, he said. Mr Gourley said the ambulance had to return to the Kyneton depot to pick up a street directory, but still got lost twice. The opposition announced yes- terday a $151 million election pledge for ambulance services. TEMPS HEAD SOUTH: Herb Patten, 66, warms his hands at Federation Square as Melburnians shivered through the coldest day in almost two years. The mercury struggled to get past 10 degrees yesterday, making it the chilliest June day in a decade. The city was on track to stay under the 9.9 degrees recorded on August 21, 2008, but the temperature reached 10.3 degrees just after 4pm and then headed back down. And spare a thought for Ballarat — it endured its coldest day in 10 years with the temperature reaching a top of 5.1 degrees
