Despite repeated efforts by his family to allow Brendan Luxton to be exempt from hotel quarantine for mental health reasons he was denied.
Luxton’s family said that due to his long history of mental health issues, he should have been excluded from the program due to the impact it would have on him.
He took his own life the morning after he was released.
Marita Luxton, Brendan’s sister, said Queensland Health were made aware of a number of “red flags with Brendon” that included “a triple zero call he made himself in distress”.
“I do hold Queensland Health responsible and I have no doubt if not for their failings Brendan would be alive today,” she said.
Ms Luxton says she’s determined to continue her hunt for answers and is hopeful for a meeting with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to discuss the matter.
While a coroner’s report into the death found no one person responsible, it did uncover a number of errors in the handling of the situation.
Queensland Health’s hotel quarantine system was found to be “under-strain, unsophisticated and understaffed”.
The coroner revealed an army officer with no medical training was brought in to help, making calls to check up on those isolating.
But after Luxton’s death, the officer reported that she “felt pressure from Metro North Public Health”, claiming she was told – when the coroner came asking questions – that she should respond with “I do not recall”.
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath is leading calls for a full-scale investigation.
“The coroner hasn’t found that any one individual is responsible for this,” D’Ath said.
“We need to understand what was said and in what context and by who,” Shaun Dummon, Queensland Health Director-General said.
