Defence says nurses delayed telling Peter Beale that deceased patient( 3) was in trouble

JOHANNESBURG - Paediatric surgeon Peter Beale’s lawyers have suggested that nurses treating a three-year-old patient of his who ended up dying after an operation he had performed, waited too long to let him know the child was in trouble.

This as the murder and fraud-accused Beale’s trial continued in the Joburg High Court on Friday.

Beale is accused of reckless conduct that the State alleges resulted in the deaths of three children he operated on.

Beale’s counsel, Ian Green, presented hospital records and call logs in court.

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They detail how the child in question’s condition continued deteriorating through the night after his surgery -- but that Beale was contacted only twice - - once just before 10pm that evening and then again just before 4.30am the following morning.

Against this backdrop, Green said that there were various markers that ought to have indicated to the nurses caring for him during this time that he required the attention of a doctor - - and that they should have contacted him earlier.

The current witness - a paediatrician who herself assisted with the child’s treatment in his last days - concurred that his status was deteriorating, and he appeared to be in shock and in need of “immediate urgent attention”.

However, she said she couldn’t comment on the “communications or politics” at play as she wasn’t there at the time - - and that from her own experience, every single action taken wasn’t always recorded.

Court has wrapped up and the matter will resume on Monday.