‘Initiatives remain ongoing’ following ‘untimely’ death of care worker, Health say - Jersey Evening Post
by James Sharp · Jersey Evening PostPosted inNews
‘Initiatives remain ongoing’ following ‘untimely’ death of care worker, Health say
by James Sharp 1 August 202630 July 2026
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A RAFT of changes have been implemented to improve delivery of care at Jersey General Hospital following the “untimely” death of a 56-year-old woman following a liver biopsy, Health officials have said.
An inquest held last week at Morier House found that “opportunities were missed” to save the life of Zimbabwe-born care worker Bgwilizani Tunu after she suffered a 35mm laceration across the outer part of her liver during an invasive operation.
The “unintended” laceration caused Ms Tunu – who arrived in Jersey in early 2024 on a temporary work visa – to sustain a haemorrhage that would led to her passing on the evening of 8 August 2025.
Professor William R. Roche, the Emeritus Professor of Pathology at the University of Southampton, observed as part of a serious incident investigation report that Ms Tunu “was not medically optimised” before the liver biopsy in question.
He further noted that important clinical information “was not effectively communicated” to the consultant radiologist responsible for managing the operation that led to her death.
The investigation also found “deficiencies in peri-procedural care arrangements”, including the fact that “no clear escalation pathway existed for contacting interventional radiology following deterioration”.
In his findings, acting coroner Deputy Viscount Matthew Berry accepted that “opportunities were missed” to save Ms Tunu’s life after the laceration was sustained.
“Her health deteriorated after the biopsy and opportunities were missed to escalate, diagnose and then treat the haemorrhage, which may have saved her life,” he stated.
The inquest heard that HCJ have since put in place a “number of measures” to address the issues identified in the investigation report.
These include installing, in February 2026, an “additional operating suite” within the main theatres to support interventional radiology procedures.
Deputy Viscount Berry said that the new suite would mean that “all interventional radiology patients who undergo a procedure in main theatres will also be recovered in main theatre recovery”.
He added that the “absence of established pathways” for interventional radiology patients “has been addressed”, with “clear guidance” now in place to “ensure that post-op complications are properly escalated”.
Finally, he asserted on behalf of HCJ that all “core members of the cardiac arrest team are now fully compliant with, and up to date in, their advanced support training”.
Professor John McInerney, Deputy Medical Director at Health and Care Jersey, confirmed in a statement provided to the JEP that “improvement initiatives” remain “ongoing” in the wake of Ms Tunu’s death.
“I extend my sincere sympathies to Ms Tunu’s family on behalf of HCJ,” he said. “As this involves an individual’s case, we cannot discuss specific clinical details, but the evidence showed that this was due to an unintentional rare complication from a liver biopsy.
“HCJ remains committed to learning from incidents and to improving the delivery of care to Islanders.
“Following this case a number of actions have been undertaken and shared with the Deputy Viscount, and further improvement initiatives remain ongoing.”
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