Concerns over hospital communication after death of new mother

Getty/Philip Openshaw

By Ella Pickover, PA Media

A coroner has raised concerns about how clinicians from different hospitals communicate with one another after the death of a new mother.

“Confused” lines of communication between clinicians at the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust “present a risk to the care provided to future patients”, West Sussex, Brighton and Hove senior coroner Penelope Schofield said.

It comes after the death of 30-year-old Gemma Robins, who died 40 days after the birth of her first baby in 2024.

An inquest into Ms Robins’ death found that there was a “missed opportunity” at an antenatal appointment in April 2024 to investigate possible pre-eclampsia.

Schofield said that blood tests may have revealed abnormal liver function tests, which in turn may have led to an earlier admission to hospital.

Two days after the antenatal appointment, Robins, a data analyst, was admitted to Worthing Hospital following persistent vomiting.