Care in detox deaths inadequate- coroner

Three patients who died after receiving treatment for drug dependency at a private Sydney health clinic were not suitable for the treatments and 'received grossly inadequate care' from staff, a coroner has found.

Michael Poole, 48, Grace Yates, 24, and James Unicomb, 23 died in separate incidents after receiving rapid opioid detoxification (ROD) treatment at the Psych 'n' Soul Clinic, a private health facility at Ultimo in Sydney, between 2005 and 2010.

Mr Poole, who had a long history of depression and methadone use, died in March 2008 from a ruptured brain aneurysm, identified as a berry aneurysm, three weeks after receiving the treatment at the clinic.

Ms Yates, who had been taking methadone for her heroin dependency, suffered a cardiac arrest and died on November 2010 from acute bronchopneumonia following ROD treatment.

Mr Unicomb, also a methadone user, died from acute toxicity from self-administered multiple drug use in December 2005. He had received a naltrexone implant, which dulls the effect of opiates.

Handing down her findings at an inquest into their deaths at Glebe Coroners Court on Thursday, state coroner Mary Jerram told the court that none of the three were 'entirely suitable' for the highly expensive treatment, and had received 'extremely inadequate' care by medical and nursing staff.

'It appears that a patient only had to present themselves at the clinic to be enthusiastically recommended for ROD, no matter what their history or situation, without alternatives being discussed or considered,' she said.

Patient care and staff training appeared to be low priorities at the centre, which was not licensed to perform ROD at the time of Ms Yates's death, Ms Jerram said.

'Their lack of after-care for Michael Poole and Grace Yates was abysmal,' she said.

Ms Jerram said Mr Poole should never have been considered for ROD because of his long-term depression and because he did not have any friends or family to support him while undergoing treatment in Sydney.

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Care in detox deaths inadequate- coroner