A YOUNG mum died of multiple organ failure and sepsis after she was given the wrong antibiotics three times, a coroner has ruled.
“Loving and caring” Aleisha Rochester, 33, died two weeks after undergoing a routine procedure to remove an abscess from her left armpit.
After developing an infection, the mum-of-one – a bank cashier from Croydon, south London – sought medical help several times for her worsening symptoms.
She was prescribed antibiotics, but not ones that could tackle the bacteria causing her infection.
Staff at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals also didn’t follow the NHS trust’s own guidelines on administering antibiotics, assistant coroner Sian Reeves said.
The trust has apologised.
During an inquest in December, Ms Reeves ruled that Aleisha would most likely have lived if she’d been given the right antibiotics in time and that neglect had contributed to her death.
She left behind a son, Xavier, now aged eight.
Her mum Lorna described Aleisha as “the most loving, caring and compassionate daughter you could wish for”.
“There’s still not a day goes by when we don’t think of Aleisha or miss her.
“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.”
Aleisha had hidradenitis suppurativa, a condition that causes abscesses on the skin.
She underwent a routine day procedure at St Thomas’ Hospital on August 5, 2023 to remove abscesses from her left armpit and groin.
“At some point after August 10, she became unwell and the wound to her left armpit became infected,” Ms Reeves said.
“She went to an out-of-hours GP appointment on August 13, where she was prescribed a course of penicillin-based antibiotic.
“On the same day, she went to the A&E at Croydon University Hospital, where doctors said she’d got a wound infection and discharged her home with a plan to continue the antibiotics.
“On the evening of August 14, she went to the A&E department at St Helier hospital.
“She had a wound infection to her left armpit and was administered a dose of flucloxacillin (antibiotic) intravenously, and then was sent home with a plan to return the next day.”
Aleisha went back to hospital the next morning and was seen by a junior doctor and senior house officer, followed by a specialist.
“Antibiotics were prescribed but were not in line with St Helier Hospital’s antimicrobial guidelines,” the coroner wrote.
What is sepsis?
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that happens when the body’s response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs, sending the immune system into overdrive.
Here’s how to spot sepsis in adults. Look for the following signs:
- Slurred speech or confusion
- Extreme shivering or muscle pain
- Passing no urine (in a day)
- Severe breathlessness
- It feels like you’re going to die
- Skin mottled or discoloured
Call 999 or visit A&E if you or another adult has one of the sepsis symptoms.
A child may have sepsis if they are:
- Are breathing very fast
- Have a ‘fit’ or convulsion
- Look mottled, bluish, or pale — on darker pigmented skin, colour changes may show on the inside of the forearms or palms
- Have a rash that does not fade when you press it
- Are very lethargic or difficult to wake
- Feel abnormally cold to touch
Sepsis is a medical emergency, but it can often be treated if caught early. Knowing the signs — and acting fast — saves lives.
Source: The UK Sepsis Trust
The drugs did not provide effective coverage against a gram-positive organism, which was the most likely pathogen causing the infection, she explained.
“Prior to selecting this combination of antibiotics, the surgical team did not consult with the hospital’s microbiology team for advice,” Ms Reeves added.
On August 16, another drug was given to Aleisha “which was in line with the hospital guidelines” but she deteriorated and was admitted to intensive care on August 17.
By that time, she was in septic shock with multiple organ failure. There were also signs of infection in her lungs.
“Despite a maximal antibiotics regime, intubation, ventilation and intensive medical support, Ms Rochester continued to deteriorate,” the coroner said.
“She suffered a cardiac arrest in the early hours of the morning on the August 19, from which she could not be resuscitated.”
The coroner ruled that, on August 15, Aleisha “should have been, but was not prescribed” the right antibiotics and if she had, she most likely would have survived.
“Her death was contributed to by neglect,” she said.
Trust’s apology
Dr Richard Jennings, group chief medical officer for St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals, said: “We know we failed Ms Rochester by not giving her the correct antibiotics, with tragic consequences – for this we are extremely sorry and offer our deepest apologies and condolences to her family.
“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.
“We are now giving further training to staff on the prompt recognition of sepsis, and have taken measures to make sure antibiotic prescribing is done correctly.
“We are also carrying out regular audits to make sure our guidelines are being followed.”
Aleisha’s mum Lorna has launched legal action against the trust.
Lorna said Aleisha was “strong, independent and ambitious, with a vibrant personality and had ambitions of starting her own business“.
“Aleisha was an amazing mummy with motherhood coming to her naturally,” she added.
“The bond between Aleisha and Xavier was evident in every moment they spent together.
“We’ll make sure Xavier knows how much his mummy loved him and how proud she would be of him.
“However, I don’t think our family will ever get over the pain of losing Aleisha especially in the way we did.
“All we can hope for now is that by speaking out, we can help improve care for others and raise awareness of how important it is to spot and treat sepsis correctly.”
Madeline Nugent, medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, representing the family, said: “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.
“Through our work we continue to see too many families impacted by sepsis.
“While it’s too late for Aleisha and her family it’s now vital that lessons are learned from the failings that the inquest identified in her care.”
