ERRORS were made processing blood samples of a new mum shortly before she collapsed and later died, an inquest has heard.

Amy Kimmance, 39, died two days after giving birth at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester on December 21, 2007.

The inquest at Hampshire County Council's Council Chamber yesterday heard that Mrs Kimmance was re-admitted to the hospital on December 22 after complaining of abdominal pain.

Doctors took blood samples from her shortly before 1pm but despite being sent away for analysis they were never received by the hospital's laboratory.

Dr Matthew Dryden, a consultant microbiologist at the hospital, said: "My understanding was that the sample never appeared and got lost."

A further blood sample was taken a couple of hours before Mrs Kimmance collapsed, shortly after 4pm.

She died the next day following multi-organ failure.

Philip Havers QC, for the Kimmance family, asked whether it was hospital policy for the laboratory to phone abnormal test results directly to doctors on the wards.

Dr Dryden admitted it was but a "human error" had meant the policy was not followed in this instance.

He added: "In this case the result was available but it required someone to get into the computer system to get it, rather than be telephoned."

Mr Havers QC asked: "What has been done since to ensure that this can not ever happen again?"

Dr Dryden said: "The policies in pathology have been reviewed extensively.

"They have not been changed hugely but a regular part of training is to ensure that these policies are adhered to."

The inquest into the death of Mrs Kimmance and another new mum Jasmine Pickett, 29, is expected to last until Friday.