Croydon mum died from sepsis after being given wrong antibiotics
Coroner rules NHS neglect contributed to Aleisha Rochester's death
A 33-year-old woman from Croydon died from sepsis, which a coroner has ruled was contributed to by neglect after she was prescribed the wrong antibiotics by NHS staff.
Aleisha Rochester, a young mother, passed away two weeks after undergoing a routine procedure to remove an abscess from her left armpit, leaving behind her son, Xavier, now aged eight.
The assistant coroner, Sian Reeves, found the NHS trust staff did not adhere to their own antibiotic guidelines, marking neglect as a contributing factor in Ms Rochester's death.
Beginning on 10th August 2023, Ms Rochester sought medical help for her worsening condition multiple times, yet received antibiotics ineffective against the bacteria causing her infection.
Later on, visits to Croydon University Hospital and St Helier Hospital led to continued treatment, but not aligned with the necessary antibiotic requirements.
By the time effective drugs were administered, Ms Rochester had deteriorated significantly, culminating in septic shock and multiple organ failure, leading to her death on 19th August.
Lorna Rochester, Aleisha's mother, expressed profound grief over her daughter’s passing, saying, "Aleisha was the most loving, caring and compassionate daughter you could wish for."
With the family launching legal action against the trust, a medical negligence lawyer stated this tragedy underscored the importance of recognizing and treating sepsis promptly.
The NHS trust has offered apologies and assured Ms Rochester's family of measures to prevent similar incidents, including additional staff training and regular audits.
Dr Richard Jennings, the group chief medical officer, acknowledged their failure and pledged to improve care standards, lamenting, "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."