The family of an Aboriginal man, who died just hours after being discharged from a regional hospital, is calling on the NSW Attorney-General to help them find answers.
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains images of a person who has died.
The parents of Kamilaroi/Dunghutti man Ricky 'Dougie' Hampson Junior addressed a press conference at NSW parliament calling for better care for all Aboriginal people in the NSW health system.
They said his tragic death was "avoidable" and claimed he did not receive adequate treatment at Dubbo Base Hospital in Western NSW.
"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," his father Rick Hampson Senior said.
Discharged 'without scans'
In August 2021, the father of eight presented to Dubbo Hospital with severe stomach pain, a highly elevated heart rate, and a "popping" and "tearing" sensation in his stomach.
His family said he was discharged without a scan or X-ray and died just hours after being discharged with two perforated stomach ulcers, which tore his stomach lining and bowel wall.
His parents, Ricky Hampson Snr and Lydia Chatfield, alleged hospital staff also did not inform Mr Hampson his COVID test was positive.
"My son was sedated within 40 minutes of entering the hospital," Mr Hampson Snr said.
"He was calm, he was polite to staff, but they sedated him. They took away his right to communicate."
The family said almost one year on there had been no accountability or answers and wanted an inquest into his death.
Thousands support petition
A petition has received more than 10,000 signatures, calling for the NSW Attorney-General to open a coronial inquest.
The family's solicitor and chief executive of the National Justice Project, Professor George Newhouse, said the 2021 inquest into the death of Wiradjuri woman Naomi Williams at Tumut Hospital in the NSW Riverina set an important precedent.
He said prejudice and bias against Aboriginal people in the health system had been proven to harm or even kill.
"Our governments already know this is a real issue," Professor Newhouse said.
"Dougie's parents are calling for a raft of urgent reforms including the immediate adoption of a professional standard that requires medical practitioners to provide culturally safe care to Indigenous patients.
"Also a requirement for hospitals to employ 24-hour Aboriginal health liaison workers who visit patients in emergency care."
The Western NSW LHD told the ABC in a statement that since Mr Hampson Jr's death had been referred to the coroner, and the LHD is assisting with the coronial process, it was unable to comment on the matter.
The NSW Attorney-General said in a statement: "My 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."
The Hampson family granted permission to use Dougie Hampson's name and image.
