Joan Branson died from lung clot after hospital withheld preventive medication
An inquest has heard that Joan Branson, the 80-year-old wife of Sir Richard Branson, died from a "massive" blood clot on her lung after doctors at a London hospital failed to give her anti-clotting medication despite her known history of blood clots. Lady Branson had been admitted to the Lister Hospital in Chelsea following a fall at the family's Necker Island home that left her with pelvic and hip fractures, and died a week later. Her daughter, Dr Holly Branson, disputed hospital claims that her mother had refused the injections, saying this was inconsistent with her usual willingness to take such medication during travel and previous hospital stays.
The Inner West London Coroner's Court, led by coroner Fiona Wilcox, heard that Lady Branson was admitted on 17 November 2025 after a GP referral for persistent pain and died on 24 November. Dr Basir Kunduzi, the doctor on duty, admitted he believed she should have been given anti-coagulant injections and accepted it was his responsibility to prescribe them, but said he delayed doing so pending a CT scan due to bleeding concerns following her fall. Dr Branson also said her mother was not given compression stockings for up to 48 hours after admission, which staff acknowledged as an oversight. Neither Sir Richard nor Dr Branson attended the inquest in person, though Dr Branson submitted a written statement.
- Joan Branson, 80, died from a blood clot after hospital admission for a fall
- Doctor admits he delayed prescribing anti-clot drugs, fearing bleeding risk
- Daughter Dr Holly Branson disputes claims her mother refused medication
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Joan Branson was the wife of the British businessman Sir Richard Branson, best known as the founder of the Virgin Group. She died in November 2025, a week after being admitted to the Lister Hospital in Chelsea, London, following a fall at the family's home on Necker Island that left her with fractures to her pelvis and hip. An inquest, a legal process used in England and Wales to establish the facts around an unexpected death, has been examining how she died while in hospital care.
Central to the inquest is whether hospital staff should have given Lady Branson medication to prevent blood clots, given her known history of them, and whether a failure to do so contributed to her death. Her daughter, Dr Holly Branson, has raised questions about the hospital's account of events, while a doctor involved in her care has given evidence about the decisions made at the time. The coroner overseeing the case is examining the timeline of her admission, treatment and death to determine the causes.
The case matters because it raises broader questions about hospital procedures for preventing blood clots in patients with a known risk, an issue relevant well beyond this individual case. It has also drawn wider attention because of the Branson family's public profile.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Richard Branson’s wife Joan died from ‘massive’ blood clot after doctor ‘failed to prescribe her medication’, inquest hears”.