Woman dies at Dunedin Hospital due to surgery delays

A 74-year-old woman died at Dunedin Hospital after her surgery for a broken leg was delayed for three days. She suffered cardiac issues during surgery, linked to a pulmonary embolism and a stroke. A review indicated that the delay was the main cause of her death. Her priority status was not updated, and she may have been dehydrated due to being kept "nil by mouth." The Health and Disability Commissioner found that Health New Zealand Southern violated the woman's patient rights by repeatedly postponing her surgery in favor of other cases.