Heart attack victim launches clinical negligence case

A man who was forced to wait outside a hospital in the south-west of England for 25 minutes despite suffering a heart attack is to launch a clinical negligence case.

Rodney Ward was taken to a dedicated heart hospital in Bristol but was not able to gain access to the building for almost half an hour on his arrival, reports the Bristol Evening Post.

He then suffered a cardiac arrest, which caused severe damage to his heart and has resulted in him being forced to give up his job as a breakdown technician.

Mr Ward told the news provider the only reason he was able to get into the hospital was that he and the paramedics accompanying him were spotted by a staff nurse who was going home.

Great Western Ambulance Service and University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust have already issued an apology to Mr Ward. The latter organisation employs almost 8,000 members of staff and is one of the UK’s largest hospital trusts.