Inquest into the death of nurse, who was found hanged after providing information about Kate Middleton’s condition to a hoax caller, to begin.

Westminster Coroner’s Court is set to hear an inquest into the death of Mrs Jacintha Saldanha who was found dead in her home after taking a hoax call which led to confidential patient information being leaked to an Australian radio station.

Mrs Saldanha, 46, was working as a nurse at King Edward VII Hospital, London, at the time of the admittance of the Duchess of Cambridge, who was taken ill with acute morning sickness during her pregnancy with Prince George. On the 4th December, two Australian radio DJs called the hospital pretending to be the Queen and the Prince of Wales and made enquiries in respect of the Duchess’ condition. Mrs Saldanha took the initial call.

After taking the hoax call and being convinced by the caller, Mrs Saldanha transferred the call to the ward where the Duchess was being treated. The nurse at that ward provided confidential information over the phone to the radio station regarding the Duchess’ condition.

Three days later, Mrs Saldanha was found hanged in the nursing staff accommodation, where she was staying.

The Preliminary Inquest Hearing

It was established that the Inquest would be expected to last two days following the confirmation from a senior police officer that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. It was also confirmed that at the time of her death, Mrs Saldanha had injuries to her wrists and that two notes were found.

Inquest

There will be nine witnesses at the Inquest giving evidence in respect of Mrs Saldanha’s death. Neither of the Australian radio DJs will be called to give evidence. One of the DJs, Mel Greig, has attended the inquest in any event to allow the family to ask questions of her should they choose to.

Key Issues

Firstly, this was intended to be a funny, light-hearted prank. It had disastrous consequences. The Inquest has been delayed a number of times and it is now taking place, almost two years after her death.

Coroner Fiona Wilcox has previously made it known that she considered the state of mind of Mrs Saldanha as an issue of importance that required consideration.

Mrs Saldanah’s family have been clear that they wish the Inquest to reveal whether she had sufficient training to deal with some of the difficulties she faced as a nurse. This wouldn’t focus strongly on the care and counselling received after the call was put through.

How we can help

Here at Farleys we have a team specialising in Inquests where a loved one may have died as a result of medical negligence and have represented many families in inquest proceedings concerning various failures that have led to tragic deaths. Preliminary hearings and the Inquest itself can be extremely daunting and overwhelming for family members who are also going through the grieving process. Our Inquest team is on hand to attend these meetings with you and put forward your concerns. We will guide you through the inquest process and ensure that you secure the answers to the many questions you will undoubtedly be faced with. Together, with our medical negligence solicitors, we will ensure that all possible avenues of enquiry are explored and assist you in obtaining civil damages for the death of a loved one.

To arrange a free initial consultation with a specialist inquest solicitor call Farleys on 0845 050 1958 or email us.