'My fingers fell off after the NHS sent me home'

Shirley Bartram, 69, said she spent a month in intensive care

A grandmother has issued a warning to others after she lost five fingers and the ends of her toes due to sepsis.

Shirley Bartram, from Gravesend in Kent, said she was left with the life-changing injuries after staff at Darent Valley Hospital, in Dartford, failed to treat her properly when she had the condition.

"Before all this happened, I was independent and active. Now, I struggle with the simplest things that many people take for granted," the 69-year-old said.

Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust acknowledged "shortcomings" in certain aspects of the care it provided, but said it could not comment on individual clinical details.

"We remain committed to learning and strengthening our procedures to ensure the highest standards of safety and care for all our patients," a spokesperson said.

Warning: This article contains distressing images

Ms Bartram was taken to hospital on 14 September 2022 with severe pain and vomiting.

The mother of four, who had not passed urine for 12 hours, was diagnosed with a suspected kidney infection and prescribed intravenous antibiotics.

But she said that medical staff did not administer the drugs, and she was discharged with other antibiotics that were inappropriate to treat her condition.

Shirley Bartram lost five fingers and the ends of her toes due to sepsis

The former carer said she was readmitted to hospital the following day and diagnosed with sepsis, caused by the infection.

She said she was put in a medically induced coma as her organs started failing and spent four weeks in intensive care.

After her treatment, tissue in her hands and feet started to die, which lead to her fingers and parts of her toes dropping off, Ms Bartram added.

Ms Bartram said holding a pen was "impossible", along with buttoning clothes, washing her hair and cooking.

"Walking is painful and exhausting. I still fall over," she added.

Ms Bartram also highlighted the "emotional toll" and said she felt "very self-conscious" about her hands.

Shirley Bartram, from Gravesend, has issued a warning to others about the condition

She said she was concerned as to whether hospital staff had done everything they could to prevent what happened to her.

"I deserve answers," she said.

Ms Bartram said she hoped sharing her story could raise awareness about sepsis.

The NHS trust said it was "very sorry for the distress and complications experienced by Ms Bartram and her family".