HEALTH bosses have promised to correct a discrepancy in how GPs are informed about patient visits to hospital after the death of a young mother.

Assistant coroner Rachael Griffin highlighted the delays caused by administrative inconsistencies during an inquest into the death of telesales worker Dionne Corbett.

Ms Corbett, aged 25 and from Breightmet, had a history of depression. She was found hanged at her Winchester Way home on February 26, Bolton Coroner's Court was told yesterday.

Four days before she died she injected herself with adrenaline and was admitted to hospital – but left before a doctor first called for her 40mins later.

The court heard that if a patient's practice has joined a data management hub – like those located in Bolton – their hospital attendance notes are automatically transferred within four hours of discharge. Otherwise they are printed and posted to GPs.

Ms Corbett was registered with The RLC Surgery in Radcliffe and practices within Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust's catchment area were only added to the hub in April.

It meant that when she went to discuss her mental health with a GP the day after her hospital visit the important medical notes had not yet arrived by letter.

The GP faxed a referral form to the local mental health trust under an 'urgent' classification but said in hindsight his assessment would have been the same even if he had had the notes.

Ms Griffin said: "What concerns me is the process in place about the notification of GPs about a patient's admission to Royal Bolton Hospital. In this day and age, digital is a lot quicker and for the care of a patient and the prevention of a death or missed opportunity for treatment, to me it would be safer.

"It's crucial regardless whether it's somebody in the locality or somebody nationally. It concerns me that there will be a death of a person in the future. I do take the assurance that Royal Bolton Hospital look into alternative and better methods."

The hub is being rolled out nationally and a hospital boss assured Ms Griffin that in the interim a fax number or e-mail address would be found to forward admission notes for patients whose doctor's surgery is not yet signed up.

Ms Griffin said Ms Corbett, who has a five-year-old son, had taken an overdose of sleeping pills in the past and had consumed cocaine in the days before dying but was generally happy and was actively looking to move back to Radcliffe.

She did not leave a note or tell clinicians during consultations she was imminently suicidal.

The assistant coroner concluded: "Dionne died as a consequence of self-suspension by ligature in circumstances where her intention remains unclear."