Ed Ramsay represented the family of Sian Hollands at the recent inquest into her death. Sian, a 25-year-old mother of three, died from bilateral pulmonary embolism following admission to the Emergency Department at the Darent Valley Hospital in November 2015. The inquest ran over five days between 27-31 March 2017 and heard from a number of treating doctors, nursing staff, and experts. It received significant media attention from KentOnline and the BBC.
HM Senior Coroner, Roger Hatch, ruled on application by the family at the conclusion of the evidence that the enhanced investigative obligation under Article 2 of the ECHR was engaged and that accordingly he would be recording a Conclusion pursuant to section 5(2) of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009.
The narrative Conclusion was read today in open court and in the following terms: “The death of Sian Hollands was due to the failures of the doctors at the Darent Valley Hospital to examine, diagnose and treat her for pulmonary embolism following her admission to the hospital. Had they done so on the balance of probability she would not have died”.
The conclusions and findings of the inquest were reported in the local and national media, details of which are available on the KentOnline website and the BBC Kent site.
HM Coroner stated that he would be making a Prevention of Future Death Report (pursuant to paragraph 7(1) of Schedule 5 to the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and Regulation 28 of The Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013).
