A coroner has said it was unfortunate a family was not told their loved-one was at the end stages of her life while she was being nursed in hospital.

Kartar Dhillon's family did not realise she was near to death while she was in Darent Valley last year until just a few hours before she passed away.

A widow and in her late 70s, she was born in India and lived in Gainsborough Drive, Northfleet.

She was a retired welder and died at the Dartford-based hospital in June.

An inquest into her death was held at Archbishop’s Palace, Maidstone, in December where coroner Christopher Sutton-Mattocks told representatives from The Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, it was unfortunate there was not better communication between her family and senior consultants there.

The senior consultant who gave evidence at the inquest, Mathias Toth, also agreed her family should have been told she was dying earlier.

The hearing heard how Mrs Dhillon’s health had deteriorated in May last year and she was admitted to the hospital for treatment twice.

She had been suffering mobility and other medical problems and was admitted with a number of issues.

She also developed sepsis and had to be put on strong antibiotics and it was thought she would not recover from the infection, but she did and was discharged home about a week or so later.

However, after being at home for a week, she suddenly fell after getting out of the bath.

She was in severe pain and was taken back to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a broken hip.

She also developed other complications.

During her time on the two wards which treated her, her family had asked to see the senior consultant in charge to find out a bit more about her condition.

But they said they were told by a junior doctor the consultant was too busy to see them.

The inquest also heard on the night of her death, her family had been told she was critically ill but not dying or in any form of danger.

"It was unfortunate her family were not told or warned earlier she was reaching the end of her life... her family members would have had time to say goodbye to her as she was clearly very loved" - Christopher Sutton-Mattocks

Shortly afterwards, the great-grandmother’s health took a serious turn for the worse and Mrs Dhillon died.

Her cause of death was given as a pulmonary embolism and gastric bleed and a hip fracture.

Mr Sutton-Mattocks concluded she died of natural causes.

However, he added: "It could have been done at an earlier stage.”

Hospital spokesman Glyn Oakley said: “We offer our sincere condolences to the family on their loss.

"We have received a complaint from the family that the communication with them could have been much better during the time that Mrs Dhillon was on the ward.

“We are meeting with them in January to listen to their concerns in detail and address any outstanding issues they may have.”