Hospital 'not to blame' for mums' deaths, says doctor

Matthew Dryden, a consultant microbiologist, was giving evidence on day three of the inquest into the deaths of Amy Kimmance, 39, and Jasmine Pickett, 29, who both died days after giving birth at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital on December 21, 2007.

Dr Dryden told the inquest, which is being held at the Hampshire County Council's council chamber in Winchester, that the hospital's maternity unit and 250 of its staff were tested for the Group A streptococcal infection after the deaths.

He said the unit was free of infection and that just three of the 250 employees tested were carrying the bacteria. None of the three, he added, had been involved in the delivery of the women's babies. One other mum was also infected.

Dr Dryden said it was too much of a coincidence that the transmission of the infection had occurred away from the Romsey Road site.

He said: "The important point is that there was not a breakdown in infection control procedures.

"This was not a hospital acquired infection because the environment was free of the Group A streptococcal infection and no reservoir was found within hospital staff.

"It was a community acquired infection which happened to occur in the circumstances of a maternity unit."

He added he had been surprised by the speed at which the infection had taken hold.

He said: "I don't think anyone can say exactly when Jasmine caught the infection.

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"But what we do know in both these cases is the progress of the infection was extremely rapid.

"I think the speed with which both infections took hold surprised everybody.

"Somebody being alert and conscious to having full blown organ failure is quite remarkable.

"It's (the infection) like a lightning bolt it strikes and causes complete and utter devastation."