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Widow's A&E plea after husband dies in hospital corridor | Widow's A&E plea after husband dies in hospital corridor |
(about 17 hours later) | |
A widow has pleaded for people to "stay away from A&E unless it is life-threatening" after her husband died in a hospital corridor. | A widow has pleaded for people to "stay away from A&E unless it is life-threatening" after her husband died in a hospital corridor. |
John Donnelly, 51, was admitted to Peterborough City Hospital on 2 March and died the next day. | John Donnelly, 51, was admitted to Peterborough City Hospital on 2 March and died the next day. |
Huntingdon Coroner's Court heard a doctor was treating between 60 and 70 people and "had to prioritise". | Huntingdon Coroner's Court heard a doctor was treating between 60 and 70 people and "had to prioritise". |
Sharon Donnelly said staff were "overwhelmed". The coroner ruled Mr Donnelly died of natural causes. | Sharon Donnelly said staff were "overwhelmed". The coroner ruled Mr Donnelly died of natural causes. |
His inquest heard the hospital was on "black alert" and some staff were unable to get to work due to the snowy conditions. | His inquest heard the hospital was on "black alert" and some staff were unable to get to work due to the snowy conditions. |
Emergency medicine consultant Dhakshinamoorthy Vijayasankar said he was treating between 60 to 70 patients and "had to prioritise", the inquest was told. | Emergency medicine consultant Dhakshinamoorthy Vijayasankar said he was treating between 60 to 70 patients and "had to prioritise", the inquest was told. |
Mrs Donnelly, from Peterborough, said she did not blame the NHS, as it was "overwhelmed and understaffed" that night. | Mrs Donnelly, from Peterborough, said she did not blame the NHS, as it was "overwhelmed and understaffed" that night. |
She said: "My husband stood no chance in A&E that night - he was dumped in the corridor. | She said: "My husband stood no chance in A&E that night - he was dumped in the corridor. |
"If people that went there needlessly had stayed away, he may have stood a chance." | "If people that went there needlessly had stayed away, he may have stood a chance." |
Mrs Donnelly paid tribute to her husband, who had looked after her through cancer, two separate mastectomies in three years and helped manage her type 1 diabetes. | Mrs Donnelly paid tribute to her husband, who had looked after her through cancer, two separate mastectomies in three years and helped manage her type 1 diabetes. |
She added "the only thing I can do positively for his memory" is ask the public "to stay away from A&E over Christmas - and forever - unless it's life-threatening". | She added "the only thing I can do positively for his memory" is ask the public "to stay away from A&E over Christmas - and forever - unless it's life-threatening". |
The inquest heard Mr Donnelly had an aortic dissection, which is a tear in the artery carrying blood away from the heart. | |
An X-ray had been ordered and was delayed, but assistant coroner Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp said it was not possible to say whether this made a difference to the outcome. | An X-ray had been ordered and was delayed, but assistant coroner Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp said it was not possible to say whether this made a difference to the outcome. |
She added aortic dissection was difficult to diagnose and Mr Donnelly had no previous history of the condition. | She added aortic dissection was difficult to diagnose and Mr Donnelly had no previous history of the condition. |
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