Flinders Medical Centre nurse ignored the dying pleas of patient Anthony Douglas Stock, State Coroner finds A FLINDERS Medical Centre nurse ignored an ailing patient's pleas for a doctor - a request that could have saved his life, the Coroners Court has found. State Coroner Mark Johns today handed down his scathing findings into the December 2009 death of Anthony Douglas Stock, 64, at the FMC. He said Mr Stock had been undergoing treatment for a fractured pelvis after being thrown from a horse on his Meningie property. On the day of his death, Mr Stock's wife and daughter noticed he was pale, smelled acidic and "in excruciating pain." Their requests for a doctor went unanswered, however, because a nurse said Mr Stock was "already on the highest level" of pain relief and his physician "was on an emergency call." Mr Stock later suffered a fatal heart attack. In his findings, Mr Johns said expert evidence had subsequently established Mr Stock had been bleeding internally due to movement of "a sharp bony fragment" displaced by his injury. The fragment had likely been moved by "the requirements of daily nursing" such as use of a bedpan and hygiene needs. "Nevertheless, the signs and symptoms were apparent in Mr Stock's pallor and clamminess," he said. Both Mr Stock and Mrs Stock separately requested the attendance of a medical practitioner but these requests were ignored by nursing staff and not acted on ... no medical practitioner attended Mr Stock prior to his collapse. Had Mr Stock been medically assessed ... his condition could have been retrieved. Mr Johns recommended Health Minister Jack Snelling direct the FMC to conduct an inquiry and find the nurse who ignored Mr and Mrs Stock. "Unless staff are held accountable in such situations there is every likelihood that they will repeat poor practices and behaviours," he said. This case can only be explained by incompetence or, worse still, lack of care. If that staff member is identified he or she should be required to explain why a doctor was not called.