Prisoner's death 'may have been prevented' A CORONER has called for changes in the way seriously ill prisoners are treated in South Australia, after finding the cancer death of a convicted murderer might have been prevented. Franklin Delano Miller, also known as James Watson McKernan, was serving a minimum 19-year jail term at Port Lincoln Prison after being convicted of murder in 1993. He was 58 when he died at an Adelaide hospice in July 2007, a month after being diagnosed with cancer. In his inquest findings released on Wednesday, Deputy State Coroner Anthony Ernest Schapel said by the time the cancer was diagnosed, Mr Miller's chances of survival had virtually been eliminated. "It is possible, but by no means certain, that if Mr Miller had been diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer in 2006 that his death may have been prevented," Mr Schapel said. Tests carried out in 2006 revealed he had a "deranged" liver function. The coroner said that by December 8, when consultant physician Dr Ian Toogood saw Mr Miller, the possibility of liver cancer should have been eliminated or confirmed with further testing. He said he accepted "with some hesitation" Dr Toogood's evidence that Mr Miller was unwilling to undergo any further investigations requiring him to travel to Adelaide, although the doctor had failed to record that information in his notes. Dr Toogood then adopted a "wait-and-see approach," planning to repeat a CT scan in six to 12 months. "It appears that Dr Toogood did not in any way question or challenge Mr Miller's decision not to travel to Adelaide for the necessary tests, if that indeed was what Mr Miller had said," the coroner said. He noted it was well known some prisoners had an aversion to travelling unnecessarily to Adelaide, because of the length of the trip, its discomfort and other factors. He recommended a Prison Health Service senior medical officer should oversee the treatment of prisoners suspected of suffering from a serious illness, especially when they were being treated by doctors who were not employees of the state. Medical practitioners should also explain carefully to prisoners the possible consequences - including the worst-case scenario - if they failed to undergo important medical treatment or tests. He also said detailed notes should be taken if a prisoner decided not to undergo the treatment, giving the person's reasons.