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However national guidelines are not due for two years sparking criticism that people are dying needlessly. Health Secretary John Reid has said that claim is a smear on doctors and nurses.



Francis Hadfield went into hospital for a hip replacement operation, she was discharged - but 10 days later was rushed back in with DVT but she died soon after.



Her daughter Suzanne Heath told Channel 4 news: "I do wonder whether more perhaps could have been done. I was aware there was a risk of DVT known people had complications after surgery. Since Mum died I am staggered at how many people affected.”



Francis Hadfield was one of over 500 patients a week currently dying after hospital treatment from DVT, 25 times more than die of MRSA. It is a condition caused by blood clots that form in the deep veins in the legs and travel to the lungs, triggering a pulmonary embolism. Then the lungs collapse and the heart fails.



Many patients die after leaving hospital, the cause often not revealed as their deaths are not followed up with a post-mortem. Doctors say the numbers could be reduced eight-fold with drugs like heparin and warfarin, which cost just a £1 a day.



Dr Beverley Hunt, medical director of Lifeblood told Channel 4 news this would be a simple solution.



"It's surprisingly cheap and when you think about the costs of treating DVT and the varicose ulcers you can develop in later life, we can possibly save money by preventing this. But I don't think we should dwell on costs”



The health select committee has discovered medical staff were often not aware of the extent DVT was affecting surgical patients.



Amongst its recommendations were:

• Emergency guidelines should be brought in immediately, they are currently planned for 2007.



• All patients should be assessed on whether anti-DVT drugs should be administered.



• Doctors should be kept informed if patients contract thrombosis after being discharged.



• And a specialist thrombosis team should be set up in every hospital.