HUNTER New England Health will adopt the recommendations of a coroner who investigated the death of a young man in Tamworth hospital after a snake bite three years ago.
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The Leader can reveal Hunter New England Health (HNEH) will "implement them as a priority" after the death of Brent Crough in the emergency department on the night of January 10, 2018.
The 24-year-old was bitten on the finger by an Eastern brown snake in his backyard in West Tamworth. His family took him to Tamworth hospital, but he collapsed, and suffered a cardiac arrest and died about two hours after presenting.
An expert stated Brent's case "was exceedingly rare" and several snake experts had "never seen a case before of a cardiac arrest in hospital from envenomation".
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Tamworth coroner Julie Soars made several recommendations this month after the inquest including that HNEH embark on a public safety campaign to detail the dangers of Easter brown snake bites, and what to do after.
Ms Soars found hospital staff followed the correct procedures but she found there were gaps in the system, identifying a "gap or lacuna in the guidelines" used by medical practitioners.
This week, HNEH Executive Director of Rural and Regional Health Services Susan Heyman offered her sincere condolences to Mr Crough's family, following his death.
"We acknowledge the coroner's findings that Tamworth hospital emergency department staff acted appropriately and in line with guidelines for the management of snake bites," she said.
"HNEH has reviewed the recommendations made by the coroner, and we are implementing them as a priority.
"This includes boosting regular snake bite management training and ensuring access to on-call toxicology support for emergency department staff.
"The District is also developing a public education campaign for release during active snake season, about the dangers of brown snake bites and how bites should be treated in the community, prior to presenting to hospital."
As part of the series of recommendations, Ms Soars recommended the NSW Ministry of Health consider carrying out an urgent review of the 'Snakebite and Spiderbite Clinical Management Guidelines' and consider establishing an expert review panel.
She said "this case has demonstrated that, without any precursor, a sudden collapse from a brown snake bite can result in death within a hospital setting".
Ms Soars said brown snakes "are frequently encountered in the New England" including in urban backyards in Tamworth and that locals "pretty much live cheek by jowl with the dangerous, and potentially deadly Eastern brown snakes".
The Leader revealed the inquest's findings after they were handed down in Tamworth earlier this month.
The inquest revealed detailed clinical notes of observations and timings of Brent's condition as it deteriorated in hospital. CPR was started at 10.23pm and the first push of antivenom was also administered at the same time. He died at 11.17pm.
During the inquest, 14 witnesses gave evidence, and an extensive brief of evidence was tendered that included witness statements, medical documents and expert reports.
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