An inquest has found “gross failures” in hospital care contributed to the death of a mother-of-two with sickle cell anaemia.

Irene Dzifa King Arthur, 47, who lived in Church Crookham, near Fleet, died at Frimley Park Hospital on August 8, 2024, weeks before her 48th birthday.

An inquest at Woking Coroner’s Court concluded on Tuesday, March 17 that failings in her care amounted to neglect and were materially causative of her death.

Assistant coroner Dr Karen Henderson found Ms King Arthur required a blood transfusion earlier in her admission, which may have prevented her death at that time.

The court heard that during the four days she spent in hospital there were several missed opportunities to diagnose and treat her condition.

These included a failure to plan for managing her sickle cell anaemia, delays in investigating how parvovirus was affecting her condition, and not identifying the need for a blood transfusion.

There was also a lack of investigation into her increasing oxygen requirements and falling haemoglobin levels, which dropped to around 50 percent below her normal baseline.

The coroner found there had been no “clinical curiosity” to explore the deterioration in her condition.

Ms King Arthur, originally from Accra, Ghana, had lived in the UK since 2003 and had managed her condition throughout her life, requiring only occasional hospital admissions and no previous blood transfusions.

Her family said she had an expert understanding of her illness but was not listened to by hospital staff.

They described her as a devoted mother, wife and civil servant who worked in aviation policy and contributed to changes allowing passengers to leave liquids in hand luggage at UK airport security.

Her husband, Dominic Kwamena King Arthur, said: “Irene was an expert patient. She understood her condition, and she knew what she needed when managing her sickle cell disease. Yet throughout her admission, she was not listened to.

“She repeatedly asked for pain relief, but this was not given to her. She felt dismissed, unheard and marginalised at a time when she was at her most vulnerable.”

He added: “The coroner has today confirmed that there were gross failings in Irene’s care, which were materially causative in her death.

“These failings are unacceptable. We are deeply disappointed by the lack of recognition, understanding and awareness of sickle cell disease within the trust.”

Ms King Arthur had worked as a civil servant at the Department for Transport and was chair of trustees at Stepping Stones DS, a charity supporting people with Down’s syndrome and their families in North Hampshire, Berkshire and Surrey.

Suzanne White, partner and head of clinical negligence at Leigh Day, representing the family, said the finding of neglect was “shocking and appalling”.

She said: “Irene had an expert understanding of her sickle cell disease and clearly communicated her needs. She should have been listened to and kept safe.

“The inquest has brought into sharp focus a series of serious failings in Irene’s care which should never have happened.”

She added that Ms King Arthur’s experience reflected wider concerns among people living with sickle cell disease, who often report feeling dismissed when seeking care.

A spokesperson for Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust said the organisation extended its deepest sympathies to Irene Arthur’s family and friends and apologised for failings in her care, accepting the coroner’s conclusions.

They said the trust was committed to learning from the case and had taken action to address the issues identified to ensure lasting improvements for patients and their families.