Hospital death: Mike Martin died after ’13-hour wait’

A man died while waiting for surgery 13 hours after he was rushed to hospital by ambulance with severe abdominal pain, an inquest has heard.

Mike Martin, 63, died at Northampton General Hospital in February 2012.

The inquest at County Hall was told an ambulance took Mr Martin to A&E at 03:00 GMT, but it took five hours for him to be seen by a doctor.

He suffered a haemorrhage and was confirmed dead at 16:00 GMT, while still being prepared for surgery.
Surgery ‘recommended’

The hearing was told Mr Martin, of Parklands, Northampton, was given paracetamol by a nurse an hour after he was admitted but was in such pain he was unable to lie down.

Despite his condition he was not examined by a doctor until 08:00 GMT.

It was then that the A&E registrar diagnosed him as possibly suffering from a strangulated hernia and recommended urgent surgery, it heard.

But Mr Martin died during the afternoon while still awaiting an operation.

The inquest is due to end on Thursday.

Source BBC News