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Doctors to be investigated following death of Sian Hollands

More than 1,000 days since a young mother-of-three died her family are welcoming the decision to investigate three of the doctors involved in her care.

Sian Hollands, 25, died of a pulmonary embolism at Darent Valley Hospital shortly before 10pm on Sunday, November 15, 2015, after going into cardiac arrest.

A&E consultants failed to identify signs of the blood clot, despite ambulance paramedics having noted chest pains, abdominal pains, and shortness of breath, all of which were present throughout her time in hospital.

Sian Hollands with daughter Marne
Sian Hollands with daughter Marne

Last March, coroner Roger Hatch ruled Miss Hollands, who would have turned 28 yesterday, probably would have survived had she been treated properly.

Miss Hollands, of Priory Hill, Dartford, was a recovering heroin addict who was on a methadone programme but had not taken her medication for three days before her admission to A&E the night before her death.

The hearing at Gravesend’s Old Town Hall was told Dr Leila Mohamed and Dr Kamran Khan both put her condition down to withdrawal, with Dr Khan admitting she was “labelled” as an addict meaning other potential diagnosis were not seriously considered.

She was discharged by Dr Khan at 3.30pm but due to her condition never actually left the hospital and was left unobserved in a chair in the corner of a short stay unit for several hours before eventually going in to cardiac arrest at 8pm.

Last September it was confirmed Dr Khan, who still works at the trust, will face a General Medical Council tribunal on June 25.

Now, almost two and a half years on from Miss Holland’s death Dr Mohamed and Dr Peter Varasteanu, who was tasked with checking on her in the short stay unit but did not do so for two hours, are also being investigated by the GMC.

Sian’s children, grandmother Christine Smith, mum Nicola Smith, and sister Ebony Hollands; top right, Sian Hollands
Sian’s children, grandmother Christine Smith, mum Nicola Smith, and sister Ebony Hollands; top right, Sian Hollands

Both doctors no longer work for Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust.

Ebony Hollands, Sian’s sister, said: “Even now we are still fighting for justice and we will continue to until we know the real truth.

“We want to be able to tell her children — Eden, now 12, Marne, now eight, and Roman, now five — what happened to their mum so that they don’t just read about her.

"Someone needs to be held responsible.

“I set up a Facebook page to fight for justice because I know how cruel people can be.

“She had turned her life around, was a great mum and sister and yet she was still seen as an addict.

“She was seen as the pain in the neck in the corner and was judged for her past.”

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