A mother of four died after a “gross failure” by NHS staff to provide basic medical attention on two separate occasions, an inquest has ruled.

Alison Christian, 36, died in agony from a perforated duodenal ulcer after accident and emergency doctors and a nurse answering an out-of-hours phone line failed to detect the symptoms of peritonitis.

Had Ms Christian been correctly examined by the hospital doctor or been referred to a doctor by the out-of-hours service Primecare two days later, she would have survived, the inquest ruled. Instead, she was told to take laxatives.

Mitchell Bower, her partner of 21 years, with whom she had four sons, told the inquest that Ms Christian, of Sheffield, went to the city’s Northern General hospital, complaining of pains in her chest and shoulders, and was told that she had a chest infection. She returned the next day with abdominal pain but her abdomen was not examined, said Christopher Dorries, Coroner for South Yorkshire West.

Her condition deteriorated and she called an out-of-hours NHS call centre. Mr Dorries said the outcome of the call should have been a visit by a doctor within the hour.

Ms Christian died after being admitted to hospital the next day. Mr Dorries found that her hospital discharge “without appropriate examination” and the failures of the deputising service “amounted to a gross failure to provide basic medical attention” to a person who obviously needed it. Ms Christian died from “natural causes contributed to by neglect”.

Explore Health News

• Swine flu

Times Recommends

• Should Knox’s trial even have reached the courtroom?
• All that glitters is not sold in Wright’s world
• Believe it or not, Big Brother is your friend