The brother of a woman who died over a decade ago after a routine operation has been granted permission to apply for a new inquest.

Bernard Bloom has been battling for years to find out the circumstances around the death of his sister Carmel, who passed away in 2002 after a kidney stone operation at the former Bupa Roding Hospital, in Roding Lane South, Redbridge.

Now he has had confirmation from the Attorney General’s Office that he can make an application to the High Court for a new inquest.

Mr Bloom said: “I felt sick when I got the letter; I had completely mixed feelings because it is something I have fought for for 12 years.”

The first inquest into the death of 54-year-old Carmel, who lived in Fremantle Road, Barkingside, took place in 2003, which gave a verdict of death by natural causes.

However, this was quashed by an inquest in 2005, wherein the jury found a series of failures contributed to Carmel’s death.

“Whistle blower” Julie Moody, a former nurse at the hospital, came forward in January 2010, alleging that there were serious lapses in training for staff.

In February 2011, doctors John Hines and Paul Timmis were cleared after a General Medical Council hearing was told Carmel’s operation went tragically wrong.

Mr Bloom now has six weeks to make his application for a new inquest, which he hopes, if granted, will begin to provide his family with some closure.

He said: “We have been put through so much stress, trauma and heartache. It is now all in front of us again.”

Lee Scott, the Conservative MP for Ilford North, has been supporting Mr Bloom and his family since 2009.

He said: “I think this is important so that he can get to the bottom of what has actually happened, so that justice can be done and the family can have the closure they so rightly deserve.”

The Recorder has asked Bupa for a comment.