Hospital chiefs have apologised to the family of a woman who was discharged from hospital shortly before she died.

Valerie Frost was sent home from Medway Maritime Hospital by a junior on-call doctor with no knowledge of her case.

A week later, the 66-year-old grandmother, of Leet Close, Gillingham, died from blood poisoning.

An investigation by the Healthcare Commission has found that Mrs Frost should have remained in hospital and staff were responsible for a series of errors before her death.

Medway NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Andrew Horne has written to Mrs Frost’s husband Frank telling him that an action plan has been prepared to address recommendations in the commission’s report.

His letter adds:“In the meantime I would like to take this opportunity to apologise on behalf of the trust for your wife’s discharge.”

Mr Frost said:“When you get to a doctor you put your trust in them, but how can you do that if things like this happen?”