Coroner examines neglect link in MS death

The care a Perth man provided to his wife who had multiple sclerosis and was malnourished and had infected bed sores when she died five years ago is being investigated by the coroner with a suggestion the case involved "likley neglect".

Coroner Dominic Mulligan is examining the circumstances surrounding Mrs Devine's death, particularly the quality of care provided by her husband Andrew Devine.

Mrs Devine was diagnosed with MS in 1999 and both she and her husband were registered nurses.

Counsel assisting the coroner Melanie Smith told the inquest this case involved "likely neglect".

Ms Smith told the court Mrs Devine was only hospitalised twice in the last two years of her life and questions would also be raised about her treatment by health professionals.

She said she wanted to make it plain that the case could be referred to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions if the evidence heard at the inquest indicated an indictable offence or offences had been committed in connection with Mrs Devine's death.

"The cause of death is in issue in this matter, in particular whether Mrs Devine's MS or the consequences of her likely neglect were the cause," Ms Smith said.

Forensic pathologist Dr Jodie White, who performed the autopsy on Mrs Devine, said she believed the cause of death was consistent with end-stage MS in association with sepsis. However, she told the court Mrs Devine's sepsis was the most important contributing factor in her death and concluded that she was "grossly emaciated".

In her evidence to the court, Dr White agreed with Mr Mulligan that a more appropriate cause of death could be malnourishment in association with sepsis against a background of end-stage MS.

Mr Mulligan said he was concerned that Mrs Devine's weight had dropped by 25 per cent from her last stint in hospital in October 2006 when she weighed just over 40kg.

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Coroner examines neglect link in MS death