Fatigue from tough call hours triggered his fatal epilepsy:
The Medical Panel found Dr Nettelbeck was working from 4.30pm on December 3, 2004, to 12.30am on December 4. He was then on call until 8am.He had done the same shift, including being on call, for the previous 12 days. He had been called in five times.
Dr Nettelbeck was staying in accommodation provided by the hospital during the on-call period when he was found dead about noon on December 4, 2004.
A medical panel found that Dr Nettelbeck’s work roster contributed to sleep deprivation and irritability, which aggravated his epilepsy, causing his death.
