Sepsis death mum not examined for hours

Jessica Bonner might have had emergency surgery quicker if her infection was picked up

The family of a woman who waited hours for help before dying from sepsis say they have still not come to terms with the circumstances of her death.

Jessica Bonner, from Edgbaston in Birmingham, died after her bowel was cut following a hysterectomy at Good Hope Hospital in October 2023.

In inquest for the 51-year-old concluded she might have had emergency surgery sooner if her infection had been identified.

University Hospitals Birmingham has apologised and said she should have received a "much greater level of care".

Ms Bonner's relatives spoke out after the UK Sepsis Trust said more avoidable hospital deaths were ending up at inquests.

Corey Wilson, described his mother as his best friend, who was "bubbly, happy, and lit up the room".

He said in a last conversation with his mother, before she had a scan, she had told him that she loved him and the rest of the family.

However, he had fully expected her to recover from the hysterectomy procedure.

"My world changed, I went from dancing with my mum in the kitchen on Sunday... to not having her in my life on Thursday," Mr Wilson said.

"It's like the top of the Christmas tree has got no star."

Corey Wilson described his mum as his "best friend"

Ms Bonner was admitted to Good Hope Hospital on 5 October to have her ovaries and womb removed due to fibroids.

But she developed a fever and complained of severe abdominal pain after the surgery due to her bowel being cut.

The inquest heard she was not examined by a doctor for hours and a patient safety investigation report found missed opportunities to identify the source of the sepsis.

The mother was admitted to Good Hope Hospital but never returned home

Emergency surgery was performed during the early hours of 8 October, but Ms Bonner died later that morning.

Mr Wilson said he fell to the floor and cried when he was told.

"I didn't see this coming at all," he said.

"To hear of the issues she faced in hospital has just added to our upset.

"Particularly finding out it is likely that she would have survived had the injury been found sooner."

Ms Bonner's family want lessons to be learned

Joe Matchett, from lawyers Irwin Mitchell, representing the family, said Ms Bonner's death was a stark reminder of the dangers of sepsis.

Ron Daniels, chief executive of the UK Sepsis Trust, added that an under-pressure NHS had led to an increase in deaths.

“These harrowing accounts cover people of all ages and which touch on every facet of the NHS," he said.

Sepsis happens when a person's immune system overreacts to an infection and starts to damage the body's own tissues and organs.

A spokesperson for University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust said: “We extend our deepest sympathies and a heartfelt apology to the family of Jessica Bonner.

"Jessica should have received a much greater level of care from our trust.

"We are committed to learning and we will continue to work to improve the care and safety of our services so that no other family endures the pain that Jessica’s loved ones now face."

NHS England said it had supported a National Early Warning Score to improve response times for all causes of deterioration, including sepsis.

But a spokesperson said there was still more to do and trusts were required to have comprehensive plans in place.