Failures 'contributed to' death of Sir Richard Branson's wife
An inquest has concluded that failures at a private hospital contributed to the death of Lady Joan Branson, wife of Sir Richard Branson. The hospital failed to provide necessary preventative medication for blood clots despite her high-risk status following a fall.
Why it matters
The case highlights critical lapses in patient safety protocols within private healthcare settings and the importance of risk assessment.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Lady Joan Branson died at the private Lister Hospital in Chelsea
A private hospital's failure to provide preventative medication contributed to the death of Lady Joan Branson, an inquest has concluded.
The 80-year-old, who was married to Sir Richard Branson, died on 24 November last year after suffering a cardiac arrest at the private Lister Hospital in Chelsea, west London.
Senior coroner Professor Fiona Wilcox told Westminster Coroner's Court on Wednesday that Lady Joan did not receive prophylactic anticoagulants at the hospital despite a "very high risk of developing deep vein thrombosis".
"I do find her death would have likely been prevented and the lack of anticoagulation did cause or contribute to her death probably," she said.
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