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Fred Pring died after 42 minute wait for ambulance Fred Pring died after 42-minute wait for ambulance
(35 minutes later)
A man who lay dying at home waiting more than 40 minutes for an ambulance may have survived if it had arrived within its eight minutes target time, a coroner has said. A man who lay dying at home waiting more than 40 minutes for an ambulance may have survived if it had arrived within its eight-minute target time, a coroner has said.
Fred Pring, 74, from Flintshire, died 42 minutes after his wife, Joyce, had first called 999, an inquest was told.Fred Pring, 74, from Flintshire, died 42 minutes after his wife, Joyce, had first called 999, an inquest was told.
Summing up on Monday, coroner John Gittins said it was not his role to apportion blame or responsibility. But summing up on Monday, coroner John Gittins said it was not his role to apportion blame or responsibility.
The coroner said Mr Pring died of heart disease and pulmonary disease.The coroner said Mr Pring died of heart disease and pulmonary disease.
The Welsh Ambulance Service and the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said they had deep regret regarding the case. The Welsh Ambulance Service and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said they had deep regret regarding the case and its effects on the family of Mr Pring, from Mynydd Isa, near Mold.
Mr Gittins said: "Although it cannot be established with certainty that Mr Pring would have survived if help had reached him sooner, it is probable that if an ambulance had arrived promptly after the first call, (that is to say within their target response time of eight minutes), he would have lived long enough to be transported to hospital where further medical treatment would have optimised the prospects of his survival." Mr Gittins said: "Although it cannot be established with certainty that Mr Pring would have survived if help had reached him sooner, it is probable that if an ambulance had arrived promptly after the first call (within the target response time of eight minutes), he would have lived long enough to be transported to hospital where further medical treatment would have optimised the prospects of his survival."
Before the inquest adjourned on Friday, Gill Pleming of the Welsh Ambulance Service said that on the day Mr Pring died in March 2013, there were seven ambulances and one rapid response vehicle to cover Flintshire and Wrexham.
But, she said, at the time of Mrs Pring's first call there were no ambulances available.
After the coroner issued his narrative conclusion on Monday, a statement was issued by Elwyn Price Morris, chief executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service, and Prof Matt Makin, medical director of the health board, saying improvements had been made.
It said: "We extend our condolences to the Pring family at what is a very sad and difficult time.
"It is with deep regret that on this occasion there was no ambulance available to send to Mr Pring in a timely manner.
"It is our responsibility to ensure we have a safe, effective and high-quality urgent care system, and together we are working hard to reduce any delays in transferring patients to hospital."