Wrexham man's death shows NHS changes are needed, says coroner
Clive Turner waited six hours for an ambulance to arrive and two more hours in the vehicle
The death of a man who waited more than eight hours to be seen by doctors because of NHS delays shows urgent changes are needed, a coroner has said.
Clive Turner, 73, of Wrexham, died of a bleed in his bowel shortly after leaving the Maelor Hospital.
Coroner John Gittins said Mr Turner "undoubtedly suffered pain" in the hours before his death.
Delivering a narrative verdict, he said he could not say whether the delays were a contributory factor.
Delivering a narrative verdict, Mr Gittins said improvements must be made following the ambulance and hospital handover delays in Mr Turner's case.
He said the former catering manager at Liverpool Football Club was admitted to hospital in March suffering from stomach pain.
'Misdiagnosed'But it took nearly six hours for an ambulance to arrive.
Mr Turner was kept in an ambulance queue outside the hospital for a further two hours and was up to his limit on how much morphine he could be given.
Mr Gittins said he would submit a report on the prevention of future deaths to the Welsh Ambulance Service and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
He would also be writing a report about a doctor at the hospital's accident and emergency department after Mr Turner was misdiagnosed and discharged, dying a few hours later at home in Rossett.
In his conclusion, the coroner said a considerable amount of work needed to be done by the Welsh Ambulance Service and the health board.
'Suffered'He said he would be calling for meetings with senior management in both organisations and asking for regular updates about handover times.
Speaking after the inquest, Simon Turner said that the delays had been unacceptable and his father had suffered.
He added that had his father been kept in overnight, the outcome may have been different.
The Welsh Ambulance Service spokesperson said they fully accepted the findings of the coroner and will continue to work hard to address the issues raised in his report.