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Family Devastated by NHS Trust's Lack of Transparency
10 Feb
Summary
- A 13-year-old died from pneumonia and sepsis in hospital.
- NHS trust fined for duty of candour breach, not care.
- Family feels justice denied due to fine's limited scope.
A family's grief has been compounded by the penalty imposed on an NHS trust following the death of their 13-year-old daughter. Chloe Longster, from Market Harborough, Leicestershire, succumbed to pneumonia and sepsis in November 2022, merely a day after being admitted to Kettering General Hospital. A coroner's investigation in 2024 determined that neglect contributed to Chloe's passing.
In December 2025, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) imposed a £1,250 fine on the Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. This penalty was specifically for failing in its "duty of candour," meaning a lack of openness and transparency with the family. The family had hoped for accountability regarding the care and treatment provided, particularly concerning Regulation 12, which mandates safe patient care.
Chloe's mother expressed deep devastation, highlighting that the hospital's first contact with the family after Chloe's death on November 29, 2022, was six weeks later. The family felt the limited scope of the fine, focusing solely on transparency failures rather than care deficiencies, offered little justice for Chloe. University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group has previously apologized, acknowledging Chloe "did not get the care she should have."
