Coroner urges better training after Adelaide anorexia patient’s death

Jennifer Matters, a 24-year-old Adelaide resident who had struggled with anorexia for two years, died by suicide after a series of inpatient treatments, both voluntary and involuntary. The coroner’s inquest revealed that nurses at Flinders Hospital asked her for dieting advice and told her she did not appear anorexic, remarks the coroner called “absolutely inappropriate.” Naomi Kereru concluded that a lack of empathy among some health professionals can worsen patient experiences and urged SA Health to implement training on eating-disorder care.

She also called for a review of the state’s eating-disorder bed capacity and the creation of an acute inpatient ward for severely underweight patients. While the coroner did not deem the death preventable, she noted that an acute specialised service might have altered the outcome. The findings have sparked a broader discussion about improving understanding and resources for eating-disorder treatment in South Australia.