Young mother from Sageston died through “inadequate medical treatment” (From Western Telegraph)

Young mother from Sageston died through “inadequate medical treatment”

11:10am Saturday 4th July 2009 in

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The death of a young mother from Sageston was the result of “inadequate medical treatment” HM coroner for Pembrokeshire ruled this week.

Michael Howells held an inquest in to the death of 23-year-old Alison Webster, who died in 2005, five days after given birth to her second child.

Mrs Webster was induced at Withybush Hospital on August 4th and gave birth to a healthy boy, named Callum. She was discharged the next day.

Coroner’s officer for Dyfed-Powys Police, Jeremy Davies, told the court that over the next few days, Mrs Webster was visited by midwives Helen James, Gaynor Ann Evans and Lucy Godwin.

Mrs Webster at first felt fine if a little tired, but she then developed a temperature and complained of being shivery one night. She felt she was unable to produce enough milk to feed Callum and her abdomen was tender.

Mr Davies said that Mrs Godwin told Mrs Webster on August 8th that it may be a virus and to drink lots of water, take paracetamol and if the pain became worse to contact her GP.

Later that night Mrs Webster was doubled over in pain, so her husband called the Pembrokeshire Care on-call service and Dr Goodson, who said she had a bowl infection or pelvic inflammatory disease.

Mr Webster called the service again in the early hours of August 9th and an ambulance was called. Mrs Webster was transferred to the intensive treatment unit, but her blood pressure continued to drop and she remained unconscious.

She died later that afternoon.

A review was carried out by the then Pembrokeshire and Derwen Trust and Local Health Board, which highlighted problems and issues surrounding the care of Mrs Webster.

The three midwives were referred to the local supervisory body. Helen James and Gaynor Evans were placed on a period of supervisory practice.

Lucy Godwin was later struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, which investigated this and other cases.

Dr Goodson killed himself on August 10th, but Mr Howells made clear that the evidence he had seen did not suggest a link between his suicide and the death of Mrs Webster.

Mr Howells recorded a narrative verdict, saying Mrs Webster died “following inadequate medical treatment from a life-threatening condition of puerperal fever.”