A mother-of-four with cystic fibrosis who was promised a ‘blue mild response’ whereas struggling for breath died of a coronary heart assault after ready 11 hours for an ambulance.
Hannah Houghton, 36, was struggling to breathe shortly earlier than her fiancé James Jackman referred to as for an ambulance on December 18.
He dialled 999 at 7.20pm however first responders solely made it to the couple’s residence in Kings Norton, Birmingham, at 6.15am the subsequent morning, he mentioned.
Ms Houghton was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham – which is simply three miles from her residence – the place she was handled for dangerously low blood strain.
She was transferred to intensive care however suffered a deadly cardiac arrest and died within the early hours of December 22.
Hannah Houghton, 36, was struggling to breathe shortly earlier than her fiancé James Jackman referred to as for an ambulance on December 18
Mr Jackman dialled 999 at 7.20pm however first responders solely made it to the couple’s residence in Kings Norton, Birmingham, at 6.15am the subsequent morning
Her grief-stricken fiancé Mr Jackman, 38, mentioned that his associate might have been saved if she had been taken to hospital earlier.
The builder mentioned: ‘Who is aware of actually however I believe that if remedy had began 11 hours beforehand then we may very well be dealing with a distinct scenario.
‘As a substitute we’ve got 4 youngsters with out a mom. It may have made a distinction.
‘I used to be instructed I might get a blue mild response however there may very well be a delay.
‘I sat up together with her till 6.15 within the morning once they turned up. I could not imagine the delay.
‘I used to be attempting to make her as snug as potential all through the evening and stored keeping track of her.
‘She fought, she was a fighter.
‘I sat together with her for ten minutes and instructed her I beloved her after which she went.’
Mr Jackman is now demanding motion from authorities and well being bosses.
He mentioned: ‘When the paramedics did flip up, you would inform they had been all exhausted.
‘They did an incredible job and received Hannah to hospital on a blue mild as shortly as potential.
‘I’m not placing fault on them. This drawback lies additional up within the authorities.
Mr Jackman, 38, mentioned that his associate might have been saved if she had been taken to hospital earlier
‘I do know you’ll be able to’t predict what would have occurred if she was seen to earlier, but it surely may have made all of the distinction.’
NHS chiefs say that the present disaster within the well being service is unprecedented.
Tracy Bullock, Chief Government of College Hospitals of North Midlands, mentioned: ‘I have been within the NHS for 38 years and of these I’ve labored 32 Christmas and this has been probably the most tough Christmas that I’ve ever witnessed.’
West Midlands Ambulance Service has apologised for the 11-hour delay in reaching Ms Houghton, and mentioned the arrival time was 5.53am on December 19.
A spokesperson mentioned: ‘Firstly, we wish to apologise to the household of Miss Houghton for the delayed response and supply our condolences.
‘Sadly, we’re seeing some sufferers wait a really very long time for ambulances to reach on account of lengthy hospital handover delays.
‘The pressures we’re seeing in well being and social care implies that when our crews arrive at A&E they’re unable to handover sufferers to hospital workers and due to this fact can’t reply to the subsequent affected person locally.
‘If there are lengthy hospital handover delays, with our crews left caring for sufferers that want admitting to hospital, they’re merely unable to responding to the subsequent name, which might affect on the care of the affected person locally.
‘We’re working extremely exhausting with our companions to seek out new methods to scale back these delays, in order that our crews can reply extra shortly and save extra lives.’
