Police promise to make sure discharge disaster ‘doesn’t happen again’

Police have apologised and taken their share of responsibility for a major bungle that saw the family of a patient at Geelong Hospital told their loved one had been discharged when he had actually died.

The mix-up sparked a near week-long missing persons search for the man last month.

Superintendent Craig Gillard, speaking with Heidi Murphy on 3AW Mornings, revealed police were alerted and did go to the hospital the day the man died.

But that information wasn’t passed on.

“I have spoken to the next of kin personally, I spoke with them about lunchtime yesterday and offered my most sincere apologies,” he said.

“I’ve given an undertaking to ensure this doesn’t happen again by improving our systems.”

Click PLAY below to hear more on 3AW