Investigation and inquest
On 13th and 14th January 2026 evidence was heard touching the death of Ms Sidra Aliabase. She had died at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital on 10th May 2026, aged 3 weeks.
Medical Cause of Death
Ia Iatrogenic hypocalcaemia and long QT Syndrome
II Complications of prematurity, pulmonary artery stenosis with right ventricular hypertrophy and intrauterine growth restriction
How, when and where the deceased came by her death.
Sidra was born on 19/4/2024 at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital by emergency caesarean section at 27 weeks and 1 day gestation. She was very small and needed help with breathing and nutrition and was admitted to neonatal intensive care (NICU). She suffered an episode of sepsis in her second week of life.
Sidra had a 50% chance of suffering with long QT syndrome. This risk had been recognised prenatally but no plan put in place to expedite diagnosis at birth. Expert opinion in relation to long QT was sought from Great Ormond Street Hospital but not adequately communicated back to the team at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.
Sidra was diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus by the visiting paediatric cardiologist from the Royal Brompton Hospital who also requested an ECG on 30/4/2024.
On 8/5/2024, Sidra was wrongly prescribed sodium acid phosphate rather than sodium chloride. This was prescribed at approximately 5 times the recommended dose for a neonate of her size. This mis-prescription and overdose directly led to and caused hypocalcaemia and bradycardia, exacerbated by long QT syndrome, now apparent on ECG.
The phosphate was lowered rather than stopped at around 1500, just after a 4th dose had been administered, following contact from the pharmacy. The drug error was not communicated to the consultant at the material time.
The hypocalcaemia was apparent on blood gas analysis from approximately 0200 on 9/5/2024, but not recognised by clinicians until approximately 18:20, and corrective treatment started at approximately 19:30. Expert opinion was sought and all treatment given. Despite this, Sidra continued to deteriorate to her death at 00:12 on 10/5/2024.
The failure to prescribe the medication correctly was a failure in basic care and this was compounded by the failure to recognise the hypocalcaemia and the mis-prescribing across multiple shifts and clinical disciplines.
Conclusion of the coroner as to the death:
Accident contributed to by neglect.
Circumstances of the death
This section does not appear in the published report.
Coroner’s concerns
1. That communications by the on call paediatric cardiology team at GOSH are not as they should be when they communicate between themselves and hospital teams that contact them for advice.
2. That systems for making plans for diagnosing long QT in newborns at risk need to be put in place early in pregnancy in case of premature delivery.
3. That Chelsea and Westminster neonatal doctors should take advice primarily from its in house visiting paediatric cardiology team for babies likely to be in hospital for some time, even if care is later transferred to another hospital service for long term follow up.
4. That drop-down menu prescribing is more likely to lead to errors in drug selection for drugs of similar names.