Hospital criticised over death of 95-year-old who waited nearly five hours in ambulance
A HOSPITAL has been criticised over the death of a 95-year-old woman forced to wait nearly five hours in an ambulance before being admitted.
The hospital has been criticised by Coroner John Gittens
Coroner John Gittens hit out at an inquest on Lily Baxandall, who died from a brain injury after a fall at her home in Abergele, Denbighshire, north Wales, in September 2014.
She was in one of 11 ambulances waiting to discharge patients to Glan Clwyd Hospital, near Rhyl.
The inquest in Ruthin heard she had been conscious on arrival at the hospital but her condition deteriorated during the wait in the ambulance.
95-year-old Lily Baxandall was forced to wait nearly five hours in the ambulance
Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Mr Gittens said it could not “become the norm” that ambulances parked up outside hospitals.
He is to write to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, the Welsh Ambulance Trust, north Wales’ four councils and the Welsh Government asking them to outline what they are doing to ensure the flow of patients on admittance, discharge and back into the community.
Terrifying moment car speeds into the back of an ambulance
Mr Gittens told the inquest in Ruthin: “If we allow these problems to continue, there is a danger future deaths will occur.
“But there’ll be a level of culpability touching on either civil or criminal responsibility and that is not a risk I would wish to see.”