PRESLAND v HUNTER AREA HEALTH SERVICE & ANOR [2003] NSWSC 754

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : PRESLAND v HUNTER AREA HEALTH SERVICE & ANOR [2003] NSWSC 754 revised - 28/10/2003 HEARING DATE(S) : 14/10/02-17/10/02, 21/10/02-24/10/02, 28/10/02, 29/10/02, 4/11/02-8/11/02, 12/11/02-15/11/02, 18/11/02-22/11/02, 25/11/02-29/11/02, 2/12/02-4/12/02 JUDGMENT DATE : 19 August 2003 JURISDICTION: Common Law JUDGMENT OF : Adams J at 1 DECISION : Judgment for the plaintiff with costs

CATCHWORDS : Medical negligence - psychiatric registrar - Patient suffers psychosis with extreme violence - apprehended by police, taken to hospital - assessed as not mentally ill or mentally disordered person - meaning of "continuing condition" - meaning of "for the time being" - adequacy of assessment - relevance of history - nature of criteria under ss 9 & 10 Mental Health Act 1990 - whether liability in tort for negligent failure to detain - patient killed brother's fiancee whilst insane five hours after release Compensation to Relatives Act 1897 (NSW) LEGISLATION CITED : s39 Mental Health (Criminal Procedure) Act 1990 Mental Health Act 1990 Fatal Accidents Act 1976 AMP v RTA & Anor [2001] NSWCA 186; [2001] Aust Torts Reports 81-619 Bennett v Minister of Community Welfare (1992) 176 CLR 408 Chappel v Hart [1998] 156 ALR 517 Clunies & Camden 1998 QB 978 Crimmins v Stevedoring Industry Finance Committee (1999) 200 CLR 1 Gala v Preston (1990-91) 172 CLR 243 Gollan v Nugent (1988) 166 CLR 18 Haber v Walker [1963] VR 339 Hardy v Motor Insurers Bureau (1964) 2 KB 745 CASES CITED : Hill v Constable of West Yorkshire [1989] AC 53 King v Porter 1936 55 CLR 182 March v Starmare (1991) 171 CLR at 517-519 Maynard v West Midlands Regional Health Authority [1984] 1 WLR 634 McNaughten's Case (1843) 10 Clarke & Finnelly 200 Reeves v The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [2000] 1 AC 360 Regina v S (1979) 2 NSWLR 1 Romeo v Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory (1998) 192 CLR 431 Sullivan v Moody [2001] HCA 59; [2001] 183 ALR 404 at 417 Wyong Shire Council v Shirt (1980) 146 CLR 40 Kevin William Presland (Plaintiff) PARTIES : Hunter Area Health Service (First Defendant) Dr Jacob Nazarian (Second Defendant) FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 20192/98 COUNSEL : M Lynch, G Craddock (Plaintiff) G Gregg, L Boyd (Defendant) SOLICITORS : Legal Aid Commission (Plaintiff) C Hynes, Liverpool Legal Aid Office (Defendants)