The family of a mum of three believe doctors failed to spot signs of organ failure, despite her being admitted to hospital 15 times in 14 months.

Michelle Ashby, 43, spent three years in and out of Medway Maritime, suffering from the inflammatory bowel disease Crohn’s.

She eventually lost all faith in the care she was getting from doctors there, so when her condition got worse in January, her husband David drove her to A&E at Darent Valley Hospital near Dartford.

She died just seven days later, on January 18, leaving three children – aged 24, 12 and five –and four grandchildren.

A coroner’s investigation is now being carried out into the cause of her death. A post-mortem has already found Mrs Ashby, of Hazlemere Drive, Gillingham, suffered multiple organ failure.

“Her liver was so enlarged, a doctor a Darent asked if Michelle was a heavy drinker – she didn’t even drink. That’s when alarm bells starting ringing for me” - brother Philip Hamilton

Her grieving brother Philip Hamilton believes signs should have been spotted by medics at Medway.

Mr Hamilton, 42, said: “By the time she went to Darent Valley it was too late. Her body had given up. Her organs were failing and there was nothing they could do.

“Her liver was so enlarged, a doctor at Darent asked if Michelle was a heavy drinker – she didn’t even drink. That’s when alarm bells starting ringing for me.”

The cause of death was initially given as pneumonia, caused by Crohn’s disease but when Mrs Ashby’s family refused to accept this, a post-mortem was carried out.

MidKent Coroner’s Office is now conducting an investigation and will decide if an inquest will be held. This could take several more weeks, leaving Mrs Ashby’s family with many unanswered questions.

Mr Hamilton said: “My sister didn’t have a terminal illness. She should still be alive.

“The post-mortem found she had a perforated bowel. She had countless MRI scans, x-rays and blood tests, why was it not picked up before her death?

“She was showing signs of liver disease last year and her discharge notes from October say that she was at risk but this wasn’t followed up.

Mrs Ashby’s family had to get legal help to obtain her medical records.

They are now getting further advice from a solicitor and plan to submit a formal complaint to Medway NHS Foundation Trust.

A spokesman for the trust said: “We would like to send our condolences to the family of Michelle Ashby for their very sad loss.

“We have not received a formal complaint about Michelle’s care from her family following her death, and would urge her family to contact us directly so that we can investigate their concerns.”

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