Disgraced publicist ‘could have had better prison care before death’

DISGRACED CELEBRITY publicist Max Clifford could have received better care in his dying months if the condition causing his heart failure was diagnosed sooner, an inquest has heard.

Clifford, 74, collapsed in the shower at Littlehey Prison in Cambridgeshire, where he was serving an eight-year sentence for historical sex offences. He was admitted to Hinchingbrooke Hospital near Huntingdon where he died two days later on December 10 2017.

Clifford had complained of shortness of breath to a prison GP in July 2017, began treatment for presumed heart failure and an ultrasound of his heart was taken in

September 2017. Simon Milburn, assistant coroner for Cambridgeshire, said that if this ultrasound was referred from a general cardiologist at Hinchingbrooke to a specialist for a second opinion it “probably” would have led to a diagnosis of cardiac AL amyloidosis.

A second opinion was not sought and a diagnosis of the rare, serious condition – which is caused by a build-up of abnormal proteins in organs and tissues – was not established until the days before Clifford’s death.

Mr Milburn said that an earlier diagnosis would not have prolonged Clifford’s life but “would have given the opportunity for those responsible for his care to optimise his treatment, relieve his symptoms and discuss further care with him”.

He concluded following a three-day hearing that Clifford died of natural causes and that he died of congestive heart failure.

Clifford’s daughter Louise Clifford

attended the hearing in Peterborough.

In a statement outside court, she said he should have had better treatment but the family was happy that a £10m package of funding for HMP Littlehey was to be put in place to tackle the chronic problems and negative impact on living conditions.