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Sonia Powell who died in ambulance at Morriston hospital 'let down' Sonia Powell who died in ambulance at Morriston Hospital 'let down'
(about 1 hour later)
The grieving family of a woman in her 70s who died while waiting in a queue of ambulances at Morriston Hospital, Swansea, says the system let her down. The family of a grandmother who died while said to be waiting in a queue of 11 ambulances, blame "cutbacks" for her death.
Sonia Powell, who had a suspected heart attack, was said to have waited "at least an hour" but health officials said the wait was 30-40 minutes. Sonia Powell, who was in her 70s, was said to have waited "at least an hour" outside Morriston Hospital, Swansea, after a suspected heart attack.
Her family said a doctor came "only five minutes" before she died. Hospital officials said it was "busy" but she waited for 36 minutes.
Health Minister Mark Drakeford has admitted to AMs the ambulance service is "not where we want it to be". Health Minister Mark Drakeford admitted to AMs the ambulance service's performance is "not where we would like it to be".
An investigation is under way into what happened before Mrs Powell died in the ambulance outside Morriston Hospital on Wednesday afternoon. An investigation is under way into what happened before Mrs Powell died in the ambulance queue outside Morriston Hospital on Wednesday afternoon.
Kim Thompson said her grandmother, from Banwen in the Neath Valley, had been admitted to Neath Port Talbot Hospital a few days earlier, but was being transferred to the cardiac unit at Morriston having had a suspected heart attack and fluid on the lungs. Kim Thompson said her grandmother had been admitted to Neath Port Talbot Hospital a few days earlier, but was being transferred to the cardiac unit at Morriston having had a suspected heart attack and fluid on the lungs.
'Lack of communication''Lack of communication'
She said that on arrival the ambulance driver took in Mrs Powell's notes to the hospital where they were examined by a doctor who expressed frustration that a decision had been made to transfer her there. She said that on arrival the ambulance driver took in Mrs Powell's notes to the hospital, where they were examined by a doctor who expressed frustration that a decision had been made to transfer her there.
At the time, eight to nine ambulances were queuing there because there were no free beds, Ms Thompson said.At the time, eight to nine ambulances were queuing there because there were no free beds, Ms Thompson said.
There had been reports of up to 15 ambulances waiting at one point. She said a doctor came "only five minutes" before her grandmother died, and that the family was concerned about how her grandmother "was dealt with at the end", especially about what they believed to be "the lack of communication between the hospitals".
She said the family was concerned about how her grandmother "was dealt with at the end" and relatives were particularly concerned about what they believed to be "the lack of communication between the hospitals". Mrs Powell, from Banwen in the Neath Valley, was a grandmother of 14, and great-grandmother of 14.
However, she paid tribute to the compassion of individual staff. Granddaughter Gemma Evans said her grandmother had "at least" deserved a bed for her final moments, and should have been in a proper bed with her family around her.
In particular, Ms Thompson said "you couldn't fault" the ambulance worker, and the hospital chaplain at Morriston "couldn't have done more for us" in the aftermath. She said: "We blame the cutbacks in the health service that has resulted in all of the ambulances having to wait."
Mrs Powell's death marked a devastating 24 hours for her family. Earlier on Wednesday, Mrs Powell's sister Cheryl Davies, 64, died at a local hospice.Mrs Powell's death marked a devastating 24 hours for her family. Earlier on Wednesday, Mrs Powell's sister Cheryl Davies, 64, died at a local hospice.
'Knock-on affect''Knock-on affect'
Both the Welsh Ambulance Service and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg health board said they wanted to have a "full understanding of what happened". Both the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust (WAST) and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board (ABMU) said they wanted to have a "full understanding of what happened".
Official figures show less than 70% of patients taken to Morriston Hospital by ambulance are transferred into the care of A&E within the target 15 minutes. In a statement, ABMU said it offered its "sincere condolences" to the family. It said it had been a "busy day" intensified by 20 emergency ambulances "arriving and departing within a short space of time".
The figures in ABMU's board papers for July show there has been a significant reduction in handovers taking over an hour, but managers note that both Morriston and the Princess of Wales hospital in Bridgend have "struggled to achieve the required level of compliance" with the 15 minute target. The board confirmed Mrs Powell's ambulance, which had two paramedics, left Neath Port Talbot Hospital at 14:49 and arrived at Morriston Hospital at 15:04.
Richard Fitzgibbons from the Association of Professional Ambulance Personnel said: "I have never heard of 15 ambulances waiting before, but I quite often hear of up to 10 ambulances waiting outside a hospital." But it maintained that an A&E doctor assessed Mrs Powell at 15:07, and that a doctor remained with her until she died at 15:40.
He added: "While the ambulances are waiting it is having a knock-on affect on other services." It continued: "At its peak there were 12 operational ambulances outside the department but not all had patients on board.
Coroners' comments "Escalation plans were activated in the morning and the department was well staffed.
"Staff across the hospital worked closely with colleagues from WAST to keep delays to a minimum and move patients from the emergency department to available beds as quickly as possible."
The board said at peak times handovers "can take longer than we would like", but there had been "a significant reduction" in handover times over the past few months.
Swansea and Gower Coroner's Office said there would be no inquest in to Mrs Powell's death, nor would there be a post mortem examination.
Previous cases
Ambulance delays have been raised as an issue at several inquests in Wales in recent months.Ambulance delays have been raised as an issue at several inquests in Wales in recent months.