A 36-year-old mother tragically died shortly after giving birth to her fifth child at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex, due to what a coroner has described as “basic failures” in her care. Laura-Jane Seaman, from Witham, passed away on December 23, 2022, after suffering a severe peritoneal hemorrhage that went undetected for hours despite her repeated pleas for help.
Missed Warning Signs and Escalation Failures
Ms. Seaman had been identified as high-risk for postpartum hemorrhage before her admission on December 21. While her delivery was uneventful and she initially recovered well, she began feeling unwell two hours later, raising concerns about heavy bleeding. Despite her warnings that she was “gushing” and her appeal to staff to “not let me die,” her symptoms were misattributed to dehydration.
When Ms. Seaman lost consciousness, staff reportedly gave her a biscuit instead of escalating her condition to critical care. A report from Essex coroner Sonia Hayes revealed that Ms. Seaman’s maternal collapse was dismissed as a faint, despite her history of hemorrhages.
Coroner Report Highlights Gross Failures
The coroner’s report earlier this year identified multiple “gross failures” by healthcare professionals. It concluded that if appropriate action had been taken, Ms. Seaman’s death could have been avoided.
Broomfield Hospital, managed by Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, has since been scrutinized for its handling of Ms. Seaman’s care. The trust admitted to “basic failures” and committed to improving training for maternity staff to recognize early signs of patient deterioration.
Trust Responds with Training Improvements
Diane Sarkar, chief nursing and quality officer for the trust, extended condolences to Ms. Seaman’s family, stating:
“Following investigations into the circumstances that led to her death, our focus has been on improving training in recognizing the early signs of deterioration and escalation routes in our maternity services to prevent this from happening again.”
A Tragic Reminder of Healthcare Failures
Ms. Seaman’s case is a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and proper escalation in maternity care. The coroner’s report, categorized as a prevention of future deaths report, serves as a call for systemic improvements to prevent similar tragedies.
