by Jenni Horn

An inquest into the death of a woman who died after giving birth has found there were “gross failures” in her care.

Claire Joel, 28, of Galleon Way, Upnor, died at Medway Maritime Hospital October 24, 2008, five days after giving birth to her first child.

The inquest, at County Hall, Maidstone, heard Claire fell pregnant in February 2008. She had an underlying haematological condition which made her blood clot.

Claire was admitted to Medway Maritime Hospital on October 17 after her waters broke. Doctors then waited 72 hours before inducing her labour - a delay which coroner Roger Sykes said was unacceptable.

Claire’s daughter, who was healthy and continues to do well, was born by caesarean section on October 19.

Mother and baby remained in hospital following the delivery but Claire began to feel unwell on October 23.

The next day she was found to have suffered septic shock and, after a number of cardiac arrests, she died that evening.

As part of a narrative verdict, coroner Roger Sykes said: “There was an unacceptable delay in inducing labour, failures to administer prophylactic antibiotics and a short course of antibiotics after a caesarian section, a failure to put in place an appropriate care plan and inadequate observations as a result of which she died on October 24, 2008, from sepsis due to an infection of the genital tract.

"These amounted to gross failures to provide the basic treatment and care that her medical condition required and she died from natural causes contributed to by neglect.”

A spokesman for Medway NHS Foundation Trust said: “The trust’s sincerest sympathies remain with Mrs Joel’s family.

The trust is committed to the highest standards of care but it is apparent that the care received by Mrs Joel fell below the standards that the trust would wish to provide, and for which the trust apologises unreservedly.

“Thorough investigations into Mrs Joel’s care have taken place by both the trust and by invited external investigators. As a result, the trust has made changes to practices and procedures, which are being carefully monitored, to minimise the risk of this happening again.”

Claire’s husband Mark has instructed solicitors to pursue a negligence claim against Medway NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital.