A PRISON DOCTOR has told an inquest into the death of a man, who was an insulin-dependent diabetic, that he was not aware that a nurse had recommended that the prisoner’s diabetes be reviewed every three to six months, an inquest has heard.
Luke Bennett (31), Marley Lane, Drogheda, Co Louth, was found dead in his cell at Mountjoy Prison, Dublin, on the morning of July 22nd, 2008.
He had been dead for a number of hours and had been in a coma before his death.
State Pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy, who carried out a post-mortem on Mr Bennett, told coroner Dr Brian Farrell in the Dublin City Coroner’s Court yesterday that she had been unable to determine the cause of his death.
It could not be excluded that hypoglycaemia – a low blood sugar level – was the cause of death.
However, he also had a number of heart conditions including severe coronary artery disease and inflammation of the heart muscle, which could have caused his death.
Responding to questions by counsel for the Bennett family, GP at the prison Dr Patrick McCarthy told the inquest that he did not know about a letter sent by a nurse to Cloverhill Prison where Mr Bennett was previously an inmate.
This had recommended that Mr Bennett be reviewed regarding his diabetes every three to six months.
He told the court that doctors at the prison had access to patient details on a computerised system, but they were unable to view letters from hospitals or appointments.
This was because they were not scanned in and this information had to be requested, Dr McCarthy added, and this was also despite requests from doctors for them to be scanned.
He said in private practice this information was available to hand from the patient’s file, but that in the prison doctors were “on the spot limited”.
Dr Farrell adjourned the inquest to June to call further witnesses and request further information.