Coroner demands change after pensioner died following 10-hour ambulance wait

A coroner has demanded action following the death of a 79-year-old woman who had waited 10 hours for an ambulance.
Diana Fairweather-Purkis died from multi-organ failure at the University Hospital of North Tees in Stockton, two days after she was eventually admitted.
Teesside and Hartlepool Coroner Paul Appleton has written a Prevention of Future Deaths report, saying that more ambulance crews are needed to decrease wait times.
He has also said there were 'excessive delays' in crews being able to hand over patients to hospital staff.
The coroner has sent copies of the report to Ms Fairweather-Purkis' family, the Department of Health, NHS bosses, the North East Ambulance Service and the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust.
Following an inquest which concluded earlier this month, Mr Appleton concluded: 'Diana died due to multi-organ failure secondary to urosepsis.
'Diana's death was contributed to by: naturally occurring comorbidities, delays in ambulance attendance, and delays in the prescription and administration of antibiotics.'
Mr Appleton found that a call to the 111 service was made at 10.14pm on September 30 2022 and an ambulance should have got to her within two hours.
At almost 8am the next day, she had still not been seen by paramedics and the seriousness of her case was upgraded to a Category 2 with a target response time of 18 minutes.
A crew arrived at 8.10am – nine hours and 56 minutes after the initial 111 call.
She was taken to the University Hospital of North Tees, arriving at around 9am on October 1, where her condition deteriorated and she died on October 3.
Mr Appleton outlined his concerns, saying: 'There is insufficient Ambulance Service availability/resource to enable ambulances to attend to patients in a timely manner and in accordance with relevant target attendance times.
'There are excessive delays in ambulance crews being released following attendance at hospital, due to delays in patients being handed over to hospital staff.'
The report has been sent to the Department of Health, NHS England and NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board for action.
The ambulance service and hospital trust were sent a copy of the report as they were interested parties in the inquest.
An NHS England spokesperson said: 'NHS England extends its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Diana Fairweather-Purkis.
'We are carefully considering the Prevention of Future Deaths Report sent to us by HM Coroner and will respond in due course.
'We know too many people are waiting too long for an ambulance.
'NHS England is working with the Government and Ambulance Services to tackle this priority for the NHS, so patients get the help they need quicker.'

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Daily Mirror

16 minutes ago

• Daily Mirror

NHS urges many people between 25 and 64 to put on key phone alert

Invitations to specific health examinations are now being issued through the NHS mobile app - here's what you need to know Certain Android and iPhone users aged 25 and 64 are encouraged to download the NHS app for important updates. This specifically regards women, trans people and anyone else with a cervix, which describes the neck of the uterus. This morning, the NHS issued a crucial alert about its mobile app on X, formerly Twitter. It stressed: "Cervical screening invitations are now being sent through the NHS App for women and people with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 64. ‌ "One - Download the NHS App. Two - Turn on notifications. Three - Book and attend your appointment, when invited." Cervical screenings, commonly called smear tests, are conducted to assess the health of the cervix and aid in preventing cancer. ‌ Generally, the examination takes around five minutes and involves undressing from the waist down before lying on a bed. A nurse will then insert a tube-shaped speculum into the vagina and expand it to visualise the cervix, from which cell samples will be collected using a small brush. Medical professionals are particularly interested in types of 'human papillomavirus (HPV)', a widespread group of viruses that may lead to changes in the cervix. HPV spreads through multiple means, including sexual activity, skin-to-skin contact in the genital area, and sharing sex toys. Although the body can eliminate HPV without difficulty, certain types may persist for an extended period. In severe instances, high-risk HPV types could lead to genital warts or cervical cancer. "Cervical screening checks the health of your cervix and helps find any abnormal changes before they can turn into cancer," further NHS guidance explains. "It's not a test for cancer, it's a test to help prevent cancer. Cervical screening checks a sample of cells from your cervix for certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV). "These types of HPV can cause abnormal changes to the cells in your cervix and are called 'high risk' types of HPV. If high-risk types of HPV are found during screening, the sample of cells is also checked for abnormal cell changes. If abnormal cells are found, they can be treated so they do not get a chance to turn into cervical cancer." ‌ While 25 to 49-year-olds are typically invited to take a screening every three years, 50 to 64-year-olds are invited every five years. Anyone aged 65 or above may be asked if a recent examination was abnormal. Invitations are sent through the NHS app, as well as via text or mail. Am I at risk of cervical cancer? People with a cervix might be at risk of cervical cancer if they have engaged in 'any kind of sexual contact'. This includes: ‌ Vaginal, oral or anal sex Any skin-to-skin contact with the genital area Sharing sex toys This also applies in the following cases: You have only ever had one sexual partner, or you've had the same partner for a long time You are lesbian or bisexual You are a trans man with a cervix You have received the HPV vaccine You have undergone a partial hysterectomy that did not remove all of your cervix

Daily Record

16 minutes ago

• Daily Record

Who is eligible for Mounjaro as weight loss jab becomes available from GPs?

Here's who will be able to get Mounjaro, that treats types 2 diabetes and aids weight loss, on the NHS Weight-loss injections have surged in popularity over the last couple of years, fuelled by celebrity endorsements and social media exposure. And one jab that's capturing public attention and dominating headlines is Mounjaro. Tirzepatide, to give the treatment its medical name, is a prescription injectable medication designed to help adults with type 2 diabetes better manage their blood sugar levels. ‌ When combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise, it can significantly improve glucose control, supporting a more balanced approach to diabetes management. ‌ While originally developed to manage type 2 diabetes, Mounjaro has been licensed in the UK to treat obesity since November 2024, and is effective in helping patients achieve significant weight loss. Mounjaro received approval from NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) for treating obesity in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland had already approved Tirzepatide for obesity treatment through the Scottish Medicines Consortium, leading the way in making this medication available to patients. But as of today, Monday, June 23, GPs in England will be able to prescribe weight loss jabs for the first time on the NHS, as the health service begins its mass rollout. Some 220,000 people with the "greatest need" are expected to receive Mounjaro, made by pharmaceutical company Lilly, through the NHS over the next three years. ‌ So, amid the recent change, who is actually eligible for Mounjaro? According to NHS England, the first group of patients who will be able to get the jab from their GP or a community clinic, will be those most in need. In the first year of the programme, the drug will be offered to people with a body mass index (BMI) score of more than 40 who have at least four other health problems linked to obesity, such as: type 2 diabetes; high blood pressure; heart disease; and obstructive sleep apnoea. ‌ It was previously only accessible to patients through a special weight loss service, to severely obese people who also suffer from a range of other health problems. People will also get "wrap-around" care - including support with exercising and following a healthy diet, for example. But prescriptions for the drug will not necessarily be available from all local GPs, according to the BBC. In some cases, they will come from other primary care services. ‌ Some GP practices have issued notices on their websites saying very few patients on their lists, external will qualify for the medicine straight away and if anyone doesn't meet the criteria, they should not book an appointment. What's more, according to the Company Chemists' Association, the trade association for large pharmacies, it is not looking too promising that all patients who want Mounjaro and meet the criteria will get it straight away. Chief executive Malcolm Harrison said "it is unlikely that the planned GP provision will be sufficient to meet patient demand". ‌ The drug is usually delivered through a self-administered weekly injection which a doctor or nurse will show patients how to use, the NHS website says. Very few people are currently being prescribed drugs for weight loss on the NHS in Scotland, research by BBC Scotland News has established. Here, health boards make decisions on which medicines are available in their areas. In the same breath that we talk about people who are eligible for Mounjaro, there are groups who cannot take it. Mounjaro is not recommended for those who are pregnant or planning to get pregnant, breastfeeding or have certain health conditions, according to the NHS. For those taking the contraceptive pill and using Tirzepatide, the NHS recommends using an additional method of contraception, such as a condom, for the first four weeks of treatment and for four weeks after each dose increase as the contraceptive pill may not be absorbed by the body during this time. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!

BBC News

23 minutes ago

• BBC News

National investigation into maternity care announced

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has announced a national investigation into maternity care in "rapid" inquiry will urgently look at the worst-performing maternity and neonatal services in the country, including Leeds, Sussex, Gloucester, and Mid and South has met parents who have lost babies in a series of maternity scandals at some NHS trusts and said the investigation would "make sure these families get the truth and the accountability they deserve". It will begin this summer and report back by December 2025. The review will look across the entire maternity system, bringing together the findings of past reviews into a clear national set of actions to ensure every woman and baby receives safe, high-quality and compassionate the announcement on Monday, Streeting apologised on behalf of the NHS to those families who had suffered avoidable comes after a series of maternity scandals, including in Morecambe Bay, East Kent, Shrewsbury and Telford and said the review would be co-produced with the victims of maternity scandals, giving families a voice into how the inquiry is said he wants to ensure "no parent or baby is ever let down again".