Coroner Rules NHS Neglect Contributed to Young Mother's Sepsis Death
A coroner has delivered a damning verdict that the death of a young mother from sepsis was contributed to by NHS neglect, after she was prescribed the wrong antibiotics following a routine surgical procedure.
Tragic Case of Aleisha Rochester
Aleisha Rochester, a 33-year-old bank cashier from Croydon in south London, died in August 2023 just two weeks after undergoing what should have been a straightforward day procedure to remove abscesses from her left armpit and groin area.
The mother left behind her eight-year-old son Xavier, with her family now pursuing legal action against the NHS trust responsible for her care.
Assistant coroner Sian Reeves ruled during an inquest in December that Ms Rochester's death had been contributed to by neglect, stating she would most likely have survived if she had received the correct antibiotics in time.
Systematic Failures in Treatment
Ms Rochester suffered from hidradenitis suppurativa, a chronic skin condition that causes painful abscesses. Following her surgery at St Thomas' Hospital on August 5, 2023, her condition deteriorated significantly.
The coroner's investigation revealed multiple failures in her subsequent treatment:
- On August 13, she attended an out-of-hours GP appointment where she was prescribed penicillin-based antibiotics
- The same day, she visited Croydon University Hospital's A&E department, where doctors diagnosed a wound infection but discharged her with instructions to continue the antibiotics
- On August 14, she attended St Helier Hospital's A&E where she received intravenous flucloxacillin before being sent home
- When she returned the next morning, junior doctors and specialists prescribed antibiotics that did not comply with the hospital's own antimicrobial guidelines
The coroner noted that the prescribed drugs did not provide effective coverage against the gram positive organism most likely causing her infection, and the surgical team failed to consult with microbiology specialists before selecting the antibiotic combination.
Rapid Deterioration and Death
Despite eventually receiving appropriate antibiotics on August 16, Ms Rochester's condition had deteriorated beyond recovery. She was admitted to intensive care on August 17 with septic shock and multiple organ failure, showing signs of lung infection.
"Despite a maximal antibiotics regime, intubation, ventilation and intensive medical support, Ms Rochester continued to deteriorate," the coroner stated in her findings.
The young mother suffered a cardiac arrest in the early hours of August 19 and could not be resuscitated.
Family's Heartbreaking Loss
Ms Rochester's mother Lorna described her daughter as "the most loving, caring and compassionate daughter you could wish for" and an "amazing mummy" whose bond with her son Xavier was evident in every moment they spent together.
"There's a huge void in our family and the hardest thing to try and come to terms with is how she'll never get to see Xavier grow up and celebrate milestones in life," she said.
The family hopes that by speaking out, they can help improve care for others and raise awareness about the importance of correctly identifying and treating sepsis.
Legal and Institutional Response
Madeline Nugent, medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing the family, stated: "This is a truly tragic case which has left Aleisha's loved ones devastated. The neglect finding means the coroner was satisfied that there was a gross failure to provide Aleisha with basic medical care."
Dr Richard Jennings, group chief medical officer for St George's, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals, offered the trust's "deepest apologies and condolences" to the family.
The trust has implemented several changes following the tragedy:
- Additional training for staff on prompt sepsis recognition
- Measures to ensure correct antibiotic prescribing
- Regular audits to verify guideline compliance
"We sadly can't put this right for Ms Rochester, but we would like to assure her family that we have learned from Ms Rochester's death, and we have taken multiple steps to prevent this happening again," Dr Jennings stated.
The coroner's ruling highlights ongoing concerns about sepsis management within the NHS, with medical negligence lawyers noting they continue to see too many families impacted by this potentially fatal condition.
