A WOMAN from Kinmel Bay said she feels she is “not being listened to” in her fight for the Welsh Ambulance Service to “admit some responsibility” for the death of her partner.
Jenny Derbyshire lost her fiancé, John, in November 2020, months before they were due to wed after being in a relationship for more than five years.
John Derbyshire died after suffering a cardiac arrest, which followed a similar incident two months prior.
It is Jenny’s belief that, had the response been different on the first occasion, he may have survived the second.
Though, a report by the Welsh Ambulance Service, published in May 2021 following investigations carried out into the matter, found that paramedics did not breach their duty of care.
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The initial 999 call regarding John was made on September 21, 2020, at 6.22pm; an ambulance arrived at 7.35pm.
Jenny said: “On September 21, 2020, John came home from work, and felt light-headed for about 30 minutes. He then shouted for me, saying: ‘I think I’m having a heart attack’.
“I called for an ambulance, but they classified it as ‘amber’ (serious but not immediately life-threatening), not ‘red’ (Immediately life-threatening).
“30 minutes later, they still hadn’t turned up, and he was still having chest pains. It was about another hour before they got to me. It felt like a lifetime.”
John then underwent an electrocardiogram (ECG) test, which checks the rhythm and electrical activity of the heart.
Jenny believes that John made the decision not to be taken to hospital by the attending crew because, she understands, he was told he could be suffering from indigestion.
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Consequently, he did not want to add pressure to any already stretched A&E department amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
If John was told he could have indigestion in September, it may, Jenny believes, have led him to the same conclusion in November, when he suffered an ultimately fatal cardiac arrest.
The Welsh Ambulance Service’s report, shown to the Journal, found that paramedics assessed John and identified that he did need to attend hospital.
When he declined several offers to take him to hospital, the report says, he was instead advised to see his GP as soon as possible.
The report adds that paramedics could not recall any discussion regarding him potentially suffering from indigestion.
Jenny – who changed her surname to Derbyshire (John’s surname) after his death - said she subsequently attended a meeting with senior members of staff at the Welsh Ambulance Service.
There, she recalls that she was told that, while John’s ECG showed some abnormalities, it did not mean he was having a heart attack.
She added that, while the Welsh Ambulance Service have apologised for the loss of her partner, they have not accepted her belief that mistakes were made during the initial call-out.
Jenny said: “They told me that paramedics would get extra training regarding ECGs, but what does it say if they need extra training in the first place?
“It’s absolutely disgusting. It’s really hit me so hard. I’ve been robbed of my life, of my happiness.
“I’m not being listened to. It’s been really playing on my mind. I want them to admit some responsibility for my partner’s death.
“To see someone that you love so much die in front of your eyes is something you can’t erase.
“Sometimes, I say to my daughter that I wish I had memory loss, so that I don’t have to feel the pain that I feel every day.”
Liam Williams, executive director of quality and nursing at the Welsh Ambulance Service, said: “Our thoughts and condolences remain with Mrs Derbyshire through what has been, and continues to be, a deeply upsetting time.
“I would like to reassure people that we conducted a full and thorough investigation into Mr Derbyshire’s care, which confirmed that the 999 calls for Mr Derbyshire were correctly categorised and that we did send the first available ambulance.
“We accept that this took longer than we would like to arrive because all of our ambulances were committed to 999 calls of the same priority received prior to the call for Mr Derbyshire, or were waiting to transfer patient care at hospitals, where we were experiencing significant delays which meant our response times were extended.
“We would like to apologise for this and reassure people that we are working closely with our NHS partners to ensure our resources are available to meet the needs of the population.
“While we did identify areas of learning in relation to some elements of Mr Derbyshire’s care, and these learnings have taken place, the investigation found that the attending paramedics did not breach their duty of care.
“We would again like to offer our sincere condolences to the family for their loss.”
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