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'My dying husband could not get an ambulance' 'We couldn't get an ambulance for my husband then he died'
(36 minutes later)
Ambulance bosses have apologised to the family of a man who died after he had a heart attack but no ambulance came.Ambulance bosses have apologised to the family of a man who died after he had a heart attack but no ambulance came.
Martin Clark, 68, started suffering with chest pains at his home in East Sussex on 18 November - before any strike action started in the NHS.Martin Clark, 68, started suffering with chest pains at his home in East Sussex on 18 November - before any strike action started in the NHS.
His family rang three times for an ambulance and after waiting 45 minutes drove him in their car to hospital.His family rang three times for an ambulance and after waiting 45 minutes drove him in their car to hospital.
When they arrived, the father of five went into cardiac arrest and, despite receiving medical attention, died. He died after arriving at hospital. The case has come to light after a dramatic worsening in NHS waiting times.
His wife, Ann, said he had been crying out in pain and at one point wrote a note saying: "I don't think I'm going to make it. Love you." They show in December in England:
The case has come to light as ambulance response times have deteriorated dramatically. It is now taking, on average, more than one hour and 30 minutes to reach emergency calls such as heart attacks - five times longer than the target time. Average waits of more than one hour and 30 minutes to reach emergency calls such as heart attacks - five times longer than the target time
I worry we're killing people - ambulance dispatcher Response times for the highest priority calls, such as cardiac arrests,taking close to 11 minutes - four minutes longer than they should
More than a third of patients in A&E waiting longer than four hours
One in seven patients waiting more than 12 hours for a bed on a ward when they need to be admitted
"Pressures on the NHS right now are intolerable - with patients paying the price," said Louise Ansari, national director of the Healthwatch England patient group.
The NHS crisis - decades in the makingThe NHS crisis - decades in the making
I worry we're killing people - ambulance dispatcher
'He was crying out in pain'
Martin's wife, Ann, said the wait for an ambulance was excruciating.
She said the father-of-five had been crying out in pain and at one point wrote a note saying: "I don't think I'm going to make it. Love you."
When they arrived at hospital the father of five went into cardiac arrest and, despite receiving medical attention, died.
Ms Clark told the BBC's Breakfast programme she constantly wonders what would have happened had an ambulance arrived quickly.Ms Clark told the BBC's Breakfast programme she constantly wonders what would have happened had an ambulance arrived quickly.
Her husband had had high blood pressure but had been a "fit man".Her husband had had high blood pressure but had been a "fit man".
"He didn't drink. He didn't smoke. He walked every day. That day, he was out there with a chainsaw, cutting the hedge," she said."He didn't drink. He didn't smoke. He walked every day. That day, he was out there with a chainsaw, cutting the hedge," she said.
"He was let down very badly. They should have come."He was let down very badly. They should have come.
"The NHS is broken. Everybody is scared if they get ill where can they turn. Something needs to change - there's going to be so many deaths because of this. It's terrible.""The NHS is broken. Everybody is scared if they get ill where can they turn. Something needs to change - there's going to be so many deaths because of this. It's terrible."
The South East Ambulance Service said: "We are very sorry we were unable to provide a timely response to Mr Clark. Our thoughts are with his family and we will look into this.
"We are working hard to respond to everyone who needs us as quickly as possible while our services remain under significant pressure."
The ambulance callsThe ambulance calls
16:58 - Ms Clark calls 99916:58 - Ms Clark calls 999
17:30 - A second 999 call makes clear Mr Clark's condition has worsened17:30 - A second 999 call makes clear Mr Clark's condition has worsened
17:45 - In a third 999 call, the family say they will drive him to hospital themselves, only to be told by the ambulance service: "We don't recommend you do that"17:45 - In a third 999 call, the family say they will drive him to hospital themselves, only to be told by the ambulance service: "We don't recommend you do that"
17:55 and 18:01 - The ambulance service ring the home phone back, after the family have left for the hospital, and leave a voicemail saying it has still not identified an ambulance17:55 and 18:01 - The ambulance service ring the home phone back, after the family have left for the hospital, and leave a voicemail saying it has still not identified an ambulance
Ambulance services are meant to reach emergencies such as heart attacks within 18 minutes on average. The South East Ambulance Service said: "We are very sorry we were unable to provide a timely response to Mr Clark. Our thoughts are with his family and we will look into this.
During November, the month Mr Clark died, the South East service averaged just over 34 minutes for such category-two calls. "We are working hard to respond to everyone who needs us as quickly as possible while our services remain under significant pressure."
This was actually better than the national average for that month, just over 48 minutes. During December the worst ever waits were recorded with average waits topping 1 hour 30 minutes. The Healthcare Safety Investigations Branch, which investigates incidents in the NHS, has previously warned about the risk to patients from ambulance delays.
Immediately life-threatening calls, including cardiac arrests, took nearly 11 minutes to reach. The target is seven minutes. Research shows every minute delays reduces the chances of survival by 10%.
The Healthcare Safety Investigations Branch, which investigates incidents in the NHS, has previously warned about the risk to patients.
One of the key problems is the long delays crews face at accident and emergency units.One of the key problems is the long delays crews face at accident and emergency units.
The handover of patients should be done within 15 minutes - but in November, a third of handovers took more than 30 minutes.The handover of patients should be done within 15 minutes - but in November, a third of handovers took more than 30 minutes.
By the end of the December, this had risen to more than 40%.By the end of the December, this had risen to more than 40%.
Unions say patient safety is one of the key reasons ambulance staff are striking. Wednesday saw the second walkout of the winter by crews in England and Wales.Unions say patient safety is one of the key reasons ambulance staff are striking. Wednesday saw the second walkout of the winter by crews in England and Wales.
'Extreme delays can't be new normal''Extreme delays can't be new normal'
Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, of the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said cases such as the Clarks' were "incredibly distressing".Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, of the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said cases such as the Clarks' were "incredibly distressing".
"The difference between life and death can be a matter of minutes when someone is having a heart attack or stroke," she said."The difference between life and death can be a matter of minutes when someone is having a heart attack or stroke," she said.
"Extreme delays to emergency heart and stroke care cannot become a new normal."Extreme delays to emergency heart and stroke care cannot become a new normal.
"Healthcare staff are doing all they can - but there aren't enough of them and many will be working in difficult conditions without fit-for-purpose facilities."Healthcare staff are doing all they can - but there aren't enough of them and many will be working in difficult conditions without fit-for-purpose facilities.
"There are no easy solutions but there is a way out of this crisis - if the NHS gets the significant investment it needs to address the vast backlog of heart care."There are no easy solutions but there is a way out of this crisis - if the NHS gets the significant investment it needs to address the vast backlog of heart care.
"It's also vital that we get prevention back on track to stop heart attacks and strokes from happening in the first place.""It's also vital that we get prevention back on track to stop heart attacks and strokes from happening in the first place."
The Department of Health and Social Care said it could not comment on individual cases but recognised the pressures the NHS was facing following the pandemic and was "working tirelessly" to ensure people received the care they needed.The Department of Health and Social Care said it could not comment on individual cases but recognised the pressures the NHS was facing following the pandemic and was "working tirelessly" to ensure people received the care they needed.
This included an extra £750m being invested this winter to free up hospital beds and unlock some of the delays in the emergency-care system.This included an extra £750m being invested this winter to free up hospital beds and unlock some of the delays in the emergency-care system.
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