The family of a man who died from two perforated ulcers after being inadequately cared for in 2021, has renewed their call to the New South Wales Attorney-General to demand an inquest into their son's death.
After almost a year of waiting for answers as to why prejudice led to Ricky "Dougie" Hampson Jr's death, with the community and now political support behind them, a formal letter has been submitted to the Attorney-General's office.
Their original petition made by Dougie's family addressed to the NSW Attorney General and NSW Coroner demanded accountability and urgent changes to the way Aboriginal people are treated in the NSW health system and quickly garnered traction with over 10,500 signatures.
Ricky Hampson Snr said there are still so many questions that will be left unanswered without an inquest.
"It beggars belief that in 2022, in a country like Australia, someone as young as my son could be denied proper care at a hospital and subsequently die from a ruptured stomach ulcer," he said.
"But, unfortunately, this is a shockingly common thread among my community when they go through the NSW health system," Dougie's father said.
"He was a family man and what he loved most was spending time with his children.
Sue Higgonson calls on NSW Attorney General to order coronial inquest. Source: NITV
"He was the light of any celebration — he was the one who made everyone laugh. We are in a world of darkness now that he isn't around."
In August last year, the 36-year-old Kamilaroi and Dunghutti man went to the Dubbo Emergency Department with severe stomach pain, a highly elevated heart rate, and a 'popping' and 'tearing' sensation in his stomach.
Over the 19 hours he was at Dubbo Hospital, the father of eight children was sedated and 'monitored' before being discharged and told by hospital staff to go home and "drink water".
Within hours, Dougie was dead — an internal investigation found he would have survived had he been examined properly.
The Serious Adverse Event Review report by Western NSW Local Health found: "The Review team considered there was 'early diagnostic closure' and 'anchoring bias' related to the patient's presentation, history of cannabis use and subsequent management".
Principle solicitor of the National Justice Project George Newhouse said no objective tests like a scan or an x-ray were carried out on the complaint he made to the hospital.
"Assumptions are made that it's drug-related, when in fact, it wasn't. And you just have to look at the conduct in terms of sedating him for no documented reason to see the prejudices that were going on in that hospital," Professor Newhouse said.
The case is being compared to Wiradjuri woman Naomi Williams, where a 2019 inquest into her death found implicit bias and racial discrimination played a role in her death at Tumut Hospital.
Lawyer for Dougie's family George Newhouse. Source: NITV
Greens MP Sue Higginson says the health system failed Dougie, failed his family, and continues to fail First Nations peoples.
"Until the truth is told, and we understand and learn what tragically went so wrong until we know and learn that — we can't honestly prevent this from happening again."
In her letter to the Attorney-General sent today she wrote, "The family of Dougie deserve justice and NSW Health needs this inquest to establish the facts behind this tragic occurrence. I urge you to consider this matter with the highest urgency."
In a statement, Attorney-General Mark Speakman told NITV News that his "thoughts are with Mr Hampson's family."
"This matter has been referred to the Coroner. The case remains under Coronial jurisdiction and, as such, I cannot make any further comment."
Queensland University of Technology Indigenous Health Professor Chelsea Watego said while National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plans have had a vision of a health system free of racism, there's still a long way to go.
"We have yet to see a willingness to examine the ways in which it is operating upon the lives and deaths of our people seeking health care," the Munanjahli and South Sea Islander Professor said.
"It is not only necessary that an inquest be granted, but that it considers explicitly the role of racial stereotyping in Mr Hampson's tragic death.
"Any commitment to a health system free of racism rings hollow in the face of refusals to reckon with how it is working in this moment."
