Pensioner died following two-hour wait for ambulance, inquest hears

Mr Gouldburn had undergone shoulder surgery days before his death in April last yr and had been visited by a medical doctor that day right after he complained of feeling unwell to his wife Pamela, 70.

The medical professional could not discover anything significantly wrong, but provided to send him to hospital – which he refused.

Nonetheless, Mr Gouldburn collapsed at his property in Hartlepool at close to ten.20am, prompting his carer to get in touch with 999, telling get in touch with-handlers about the doctor’s earlier go to.

Despite explaining that Mr Gouldburn could not move, his situation was not deemed to be a “red” emergency and was allocated a 60-minute response time, the inquest heard.

At around 12.20pm an ambulance arrived, but it was a St John automobile manned by less-educated medics.

Realising the seriousness of the predicament, a car with an eight-minute response time was requested and sooner or later an ambulance and quick response car arrived.

Even so, it was also late – despite making an attempt for 10 minutes to conserve his existence, Mr Gouldburn was pronounced dead quickly right after.

Speaking at the two-day inquest, a dispatch manager for the North East Ambulance Services stated on the day Mr Gouldburn fell they had been going through a large degree of urgent calls.

Lynn Corrigan stated ambulance drivers had been hit by delays in admitting individuals to North Durham hospital due to a lack of offered beds.

Mr Donnelly asked her: “Is what I’m hearing you never have sources to meet demand?”

Mrs Corrigan said: “Yes, that’s correct. It is a nationwide dilemma.”

Dr Jan Lowe, a pathologist, informed the inquest Mr Gouldburn had an underlying heart situation, but that it was manufactured worse by the stress of becoming on the bathroom floor for so prolonged.

Mr Donnelly ruled the retired instructor died of organic leads to – his underlying heart illness – but his death was aggravated by a “lack of timely and proper medical intervention”.

Speaking of the ambulance service’s lack of assets, he extra: “The consequence of that would look to be that instances such as Mr Gouldburn are likely to be a unhappy consequence of the lack of sources.

“It would appear to be a consequence of stretched assets, probably performing the greatest they can, but folks are not receiving the support they may feel entitled to sometimes.

“My concern is the time it takes for deployment and when that does attend it is manned by a charity.”

Mr Gouldburn’s family expressed anger at the ambulance service’s “failure” to grasp the seriousness of the scenario right up until it was as well late.

Speaking after the inquest, they said: “This should by no means happen once again to anyone.

“We simply want recognition from the trust that a mistake was produced, and that the believe in failed a amazing guy.”

“He gave his existence to helping others and the trust failed him in his moment of require.

“We hope they will make sure as greatest they can this will never happen once more to an additional household in Hartlepool.”

Tom Howard, head of the North East Ambulance Service’s make contact with centre, admitted Mr Gouldburn did not obtain the degree of care he should have.

For the duration of the inquest he told the pensioner’s stepdaughter, Joanne Dobson, and her husband, Colin Dobson: “Mr Gouldburn did not receive the degree of care that he ought to have done. The 60 minute target was not met.”

He additional: “It is a resource issue which we have already had explained.

“It is very unfortunate, and I’m actually sorry it has took place.”

Mr Gouldburn was a phase-father of four and had nine phase-grandchildren and 3 stage-fantastic-grandchildren.

He served in the merchant Navy as an engineer, but invested most of his existence working as a instructor at a unique demands college.

Pensioner died following two-hour wait for ambulance, inquest hears