Donna Campbell, who was born with Spina bifida, suffered a fatal cardiac arrest at the age of 36 at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle on June 23.

Issues surrounding her death led her family to file a formal complaint that prompted an investigation by the Northumbria Healthcare Trust.

When asked this week by Coroner Karen Dilks what the outcome was, head of safeguarding, Paula Shandran replied: ‘The conclusion was neglect.

‘The nature was around recordings and fluid and Donna’s food and drink being out of her reach.’

Donna grew up in Killingworth with dad Ian, 59, mum Karen, 56, and siblings Amy, 33, and Lee, 35, before moving to Wallsend aged 16.

She was admitted to Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital on January 19 and diagnosed with sepsis.

She was dehydrated and had low blood pressure and a urine infection so was given antibiotics and fluids, the inquest into her death heard.

Emergency care Matron Lauraine Gibson gave evidence at the Newcastle Civic Centre hearing and admitted that when Donna was transferred to a different ward, the information on her fluid intake ‘wasn’t very good’.

Dr Lewis Gray, a consultant anesthetist in intensive care medicine, said Donna had a ‘very complex medical history that begins at birth’ and ‘had significant surgeries from a young age to remove fluid from her brain.’

Speaking after the inquest about the complaints made at Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, Donna’s dad said: ‘She didn’t deserve this. Her quality of life in that time could have been so much better.

‘To hear that her food and water was out of her reach, it’s like torture – and to hear them actually say the word “neglect”.

‘But we do want to say thank you to Dr Lewis Gray and Dr John Crossman from the RVI. They always picked up the pieces.’

Following her death, the hospital has upgraded its safety measures, including reinforcing the importance of good hydration and nutrition with staff, better documentation, and greater use of nutrition assistants on wards.

It will also pilot a ‘water drop’ drinking system to provide patients with independent access to drinks.

Paula Shandran, head of safeguarding adults and children at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: ‘We would like to sincerely apologise for the distress caused by the poor access Donna Campbell had to hydration and nutrition while receiving care at our trust.’

Coroner Dilks said: ‘Donna had a determined personality and was living her life as fully as she possibly could.

‘However, she had a complicated medical history and subsequently spent the last months of her life in hospital before her death.’

She added: ‘The investigating pathologist Dr Colin Saysell has come to the conclusion that Donna suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and that she had been at risk of that because of a Chiari malformation which had an impact on the heart rhythm.

‘Given that a Chiari malformation is a thing that has naturally occurred, the only conclusion that I can reach is that her death was from natural causes and that is what I am going to record.’