Heart attack victim kept waiting outside Bristol hospital for 25 minutes
A HORFIELD man who was made to wait outside a Bristol hospital for 25 minutes after he suffered a heart attack is suing the NHS.
Rodney Ward was taken to the city's dedicated heart hospital after suffering the attack in the early hours of the morning, but when he arrived the ambulance crew could not gain access.
And when he finally got inside the Bristol Heart Institute the 45-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest, which has left him with severe damage to his heart and forced him to give up as his job as a breakdown technician.
Great Western Ambulance Service (GWAS) and University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust (UHBristol) have already apologised to Mr Ward following the incident but now he is pursuing legal action against them for compensation.
The father-of-four had woken in the early hours of September 19, 2010 and thought he was suffering heartburn but as the pain became worse and he started sweating he realised it could be something more serious.
His wife Janet called for an ambulance and once the crew arrived they attached an electrocardiogram (ECG) machine to him. When it was found he had suffered a heart attack, Mr Ward was taken straight to the Bristol Heart Institute.
Patients who suffer heart attacks are supposed to be taken to the dedicated heart hospital as quickly as possible for a procedure called primary angioplasty, where arteries are unblocked using a small balloon.
The emergency service is available 24 hours a day, with an on-call team in place to deal with patients who are admitted overnight.
Ambulance crews are supposed to notify the hospital that a patient is being brought in so they can prepare for them but when Mr Ward suffered his heart attack, it appeared that the wrong hospital was notified and no one was expecting him at Bristol Heart Institute.
"When we arrived at the Bristol Heart Institute we couldn't gain access to the building and at this point I was lying on a trolley outside the ambulance," he said.
"They went to the entrance doors but couldn't get in. Then I heard the lady paramedic shouting at someone on the phone that she had a seriously ill patient and could they get someone to open the doors.
"I was a little out of it and wasn't too sure what was going on all the time but I remember that this was going on for a little while and I was outside for about 25 minutes.
"The only reason I got inside was because one of the staff nurses was going home and saw us.
"When I got inside no one was expecting me because there had been some communication errors. There was no team there.
"But with the BRI next door, I don't know why they didn't take me straight in there instead."
It was when Mr Ward, of Lockleaze Road, was finally transferred onto a bed at the hospital that he suffered a cardiac arrest and he has since been told his heart is working at just 36 per cent of its original capacity.
As soon as a theatre team was available Mr Ward had the procedure he needed. But he believes he may not have suffered such damage to his heart had he been able to have angioplasty as soon as he arrived at the hospital.
"It was absolutely horrendous," he said.
"Unfortunately the damage to my heart was quite bad and I haven't been able to return to work – and have been advised not to – and I've been working since I was 16.
"My wife had a stroke two years ago so it feels like we have had a bad run of things.
"I just can't understand how this happened, though."
Specialist clinical negligence lawyer Suzanne Williams, of Davies and Partners Solicitors, has taken on Mr Ward's case for compensation from the two health trusts for the permanent damage to his heart and its effects on his ability to work, and for the psychological damage he suffered after the 25-minute delay in being admitted to hospital.
A GWAS spokeswoman said: "We are very sorry that Mr Ward had cause to complain and that the service he received was not of the standard we aspire to deliver to all our patients. We worked with University Hospital Bristol to carry out the investigation, so we could look at every aspect of the case and have been able to develop our procedures to ensure this does not happen again."
After the investigation instructions for crews were reviewed to ensure all staff were aware of procedures for admitting patients to Bristol Heart Institute.
Chief Operating Officer at UH- Bristol James Rimmer said: "We would like to reiterate our apology to Mr Ward for his experience at our trust in September 2010. The trust has undertaken a thorough investigation into Mr Ward's concerns and a variety of measures have been put in place to address the concerns raised."
The trust has put up signs to ensure crews know how to gain access.
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by tomorrow2
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 7:33PM
“Meetwee well said you are right
Nikkiward if it is not about money why is he suing the trust have made changes to improve the service shouldn't that be the principal
my heart goes out to SarahWills sorry to hear your story, I have two children but could not imagine going through what you are. You are right the more people that sue the less there is to fund medication and staff”
by kingswoodkid
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 12:42AM
“my heart goes out to this poor women witha child woth cancer .,please think twice before you sue anyone !! i have freind who lost a child and it was the hopitals mistake but the parent said it was better to let there child who didnt ahve a long life span die with dignity . more prayers are with these soort of people”
by kingswoodkid
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 12:39AM
“human error happens all the time now but this man should noy sue just be happy that his cases will stop it happening agin to some one else , i lost some on close to me who had to give up smoking he was more or less told smokong would kill him and the n h s would not treat some one who smokes of course no one said about all the tax the goverement collect on tabacco , an old person who worked all his life went to war for his coutry treated like **** the only thing lefet in his last years was ahis ciggies and they were taken from him by the dr s at the hosital , makes you think”
by Meetwee
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 12:11AM
“sarahwills- so sorry to hear what you are going through, no parent should have to, and definately not due to a lack of money in the NHS which, frank1958, is where the predominant problem lies. thus leading to lack of staff and apparent lack of communication. If the Clinical site manager had had a fully staffed unit that night. a fully staffed unit would have greeted our man at the door, saved his life pronto and sent him on his merry way with no expectation of thanks- it is after all, their job- and our man is, after all, a taxpayer. However, if we, as a nation, had never followed the American example and fewer people, like our man, got involved with 'Specialist clinical negligence lawyer Suzanne Williams, of Davies and Partners Solicitors' there would have been more money in the pot to pay the people that our man needed to be there to open the doors, let him in and save his ungrateful life.”
by Hafers2011
Tuesday, February 14 2012, 11:51PM
“sorry... ill girl not ill ashes my apologies”
by Hafers2011
Tuesday, February 14 2012, 11:43PM
“r the woman with the ill ashes and mark white...
i lost my little sister due to neglect from the NHS which broke our familys hearts... what ever way you dress it up what happend to Rod was neglect. neglect is neglect in any shape or form... as for u mark white.. with your petty remarks and your biased opinions you seem to think that just because someone is overweight they are almost guarenteed to have a heart attack... you can have a H.A at any age regardless of weight. now im not saying that weight is not a contributing factor but it is NOT the cause... i think you should think b4 u type you know nothing of rod or his family you know nothing of his previous history medical or otherwise... as for those of you who believe if you are over weight you are a draiin to the NHS for H.A or otherwise just think as the lady with the ill child is that her mums fault for her cancer? no of course not so how can you blame his H/A on him? it would be differatn if he was 50 stone and only ate fast food but he aint... my dad is 46 and has 12 months to live due to cancer.. yh hes slightly over weight but does that make it his fault? should the NHS say sorry mate but you are a bit porky we aint helping you ?. we all pay our taxes and are all equal to the same amount of care from the NHS. regardless of weight age sexual preferance or colour.
in conclusion i feel you are a petty minded narcasitic little ( insert word of your choice ) this case has nothing to do with you at all so who are you to bad mouth rod? you dont realise the hurt and anguish you have caused his family... personally i think you should try and be the bigger person (pun intended ) and officially revoke what you wrote and publish your apology... rant over... for now”
by rw007e0842
Tuesday, February 14 2012, 11:40PM
“Sarah wills I am really sorry for your situation and many others in that situation as well I cannot start to imagine how you feel but I am not to blame for the way the nhs as been run it's the government that has caused these problems I am not the callous person you seem to think I am but theirs a lot more to this then you know once again my heart goes out to you I have children myself”
by sarahwills
Tuesday, February 14 2012, 10:53PM
“I honestly cant believe what im reading. What kind of a person are you??? yes there was a mistake and there was also an apology but its obvious youre only after the money!! i am absolutely disgusted and ill tell you why.... I have a ten year old little girl who has been battling cancer for the last year and because of the likes of you she will not be around to see her 11th birthday. The drug that she needs to prolong her life is too "EXPENSIVE" and there isnt enough resources to help her live,this is due to the NHS struggling with money. Now for the likes of you to make sure you SUE the nhs there will no money to help the people that need it instead of probably goingpeople like you to live a lavish lifestyle from it!!!!!. You should count yourself lucky to still be here as who will i have in three months time?? a little girls ashes i hope youre happy with yourself!”
by KNIGEL
Tuesday, February 14 2012, 10:35PM
“Just a honest suggestion...if you are able to use the computer then maybe the option of working from home could be looked at, when you feel well enough? Good luck.”
by nikkiward
Tuesday, February 14 2012, 10:28PM
“Regardless of my fathers size has anyone thought about how we nearly lost my dad due to the nhs!!!! Its not all about the money its about making sure it doesnt happen to other people who might not be so lucky next time!!!!!”