Hospital found at fault for Lady Joan Branson's preventable death
A coroner found Lister Hospital failed to give Lady Branson blood-thinning medicine that likely would have saved her.
Lady Joan Branson, wife of billionaire Richard Branson, died in November 2025 at age 80. Lady Branson had a blood clot in her lung caused by deep vein thrombosis.
Senior coroner Professor Fiona Wilcox found the hospital failed to give her blood-thinning medicine. The hospital knew she was at very high risk.
Branson was admitted after a fall that broke her pelvis and hip. The doctor did not check her bleeding risk.
Haematologist Dr George Adams said the fractures put her at extremely high risk. The lack of blood-thinning medicine likely caused her fatal blood clot.
Why it mattersThe finding shows private hospitals can fail in basic safety checks, even for high-profile patients, with potentially fatal consequences.
AustraliaNo direct Australian effect yet, but the case signals the importance of robust risk assessment protocols in private hospitals treating fracture patients.
Corroborated bythenightly.com.au
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 1 d ago
