Vegan mum who was 'obsessed with hygiene' dies after horror E.coli infection

Mum Laura Farmer contracted E.Coli earlier successful April this twelvemonth and was admitted to University College Hospital, wherever she had a changeable arsenic she started to retrieve from the infection

A vegan mother “obsessed with health” died successful infirmary aft contracting a enigma E. Coli infection.

A assemblage inquest successful London heard Laura Farmer contracted the corruption successful April this twelvemonth and was admitted to University College Hospital 10 days aft she archetypal developed symptoms. How she got the unwellness was a enigma arsenic the 46-year-old was a vegan who took “great pains” with nutrient preparation, particularly arsenic a household subordinate had a seed allergy.

The proceeding was told that period Ms Farmer and her hubby had been to a section edifice and had drinks astatine a club. They had besides been to section subject establishments. However, the elder coroner for Inner North London said the UK Health Security Agency obtained 'scant details' of the edifice sojourn and gave Mr Farmer “no proposal astir however to support himself and their kid safe”.

They besides did not pass decently with the infirmary giving them nary feedback connected the corruption oregon accusation they could springiness to Mr Farmer. Someone from the UKHSA interviewed Ms Farmer the time earlier she died, but she was incapable to springiness a 'full, elaborate picture' due to the fact that she was successful intensive care.

The coroner said: “Laura Farmer and her household recovered her diagnosis of an E.coli corruption hard to understand. When she was thought to beryllium successful the betterment phase, she suffered an unexpected changeable and, contempt champion efforts, died arsenic a consequence.

"There was seemingly nary exploration of imaginable interaction with animals oregon h2o sports and I was told that lone scant details of a caller edifice sojourn were obtained. The UKHSA did not astatine immoderate signifier inquire for accusation to assistance successful attempting to find the root of the E.coli corruption that yet killed his wife.

"If asked, Mr Farmer would person explained however connected 6 April 2024, not lone did helium and his woman sojourn a section restaurant, they besides had drinks astatine a adjacent club, and they had precocious eaten and drunk astatine section subject establishments. None of that accusation appears to person been considered by the UKHSA.

"When Ms Farmer became ill, her household members wanted to recognize what had happened and to support themselves arsenic harmless arsenic possible. After his wife's diagnosis, Mr Farmer was fixed nary proposal astir however to support himself and their kid safe.

"He cleaned the bath successful anticipation of his wife's instrumentality home, but did not usage immoderate idiosyncratic protective equipment. When helium aboriginal became unwell, helium did not cognize whether helium had enactment himself astatine risk. Having heard his statement successful court, I deliberation it is not an exaggeration to accidental that helium was past terrified that his ain actions mightiness permission his kid an orphan.

"The clinicians treating Ms Farmer gave grounds astatine inquest that they did not cognize if the root of the corruption that killed her had ever been identified.”

In a Prevention of Future Deaths Report, Ms Hassell was highly captious of the UKHSA and said determination was a 'risk that aboriginal deaths volition occur' unless the bureau takes action.

She added: “After a decease from E.coli, determination seems to person been nary closing of the loop of information accusation that could person assisted those astir intimately involved. Mr Farmer explained to maine that helium had spent immoderate sizeable clip and effort since his wife's decease trying to get basal accusation from the nationalist wellness authorities without success.

"He struck maine arsenic a idiosyncratic of important drive, and yet helium recovered it incredibly hard to find the close idiosyncratic to talk to and past incredibly hard to summation immoderate meaningful knowing of what had happened. This cannot animate nationalist assurance and seems a precise offhand mode to dainty a grieving relative.

"I did not telephone anyone from the UKHSA to springiness grounds astatine inquest, due to the fact that I had expected that UKHSA would person shared applicable accusation with some clinicians and family. It whitethorn be, therefore, that determination are explanations for what look to beryllium astonishing actions and inactions. If that is the case, past of people you volition beryllium capable to explicate arsenic overmuch successful your response."

Ms Hassell added the UKHSA and the University College London Hospitals NHS Trust person a work to respond by November 11.