A patient who was trapped in an ambulance queue at a hospital for five hours died soon after getting through the A&E doors.
Paramedics who were anxious over the patient's deteriorating condition during the long wait to get into the hospital are reported to have raised the alarm to casualty staff, who hastened them into a resuscitation room.
Birmingham Live reports that the patient passed away at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Worcester, and the BBC reports that it was following a cardiac arrest on the evening of October 5.
Sources told the BBC that the patient arrived at the hospital at approximately 9pm, when they were then assessed as being stable. However, after five hours, they had still not been admitted into the hospital and paramedics warned doctors that the patient was pale and experiencing breathing difficulties.
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has launched a probe into the death.
To ease A&E pressures, Trust bosses have for a while been sending some patients from Kidderminster, Stourport and other areas near Worcester to Alexandra Hospital's A&E in Redditch instead of Worcestershire Royal.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said it was also carrying out an investigation into the circumstances leading to the tragedy.
A Hospital Trust spokesperson, speaking also on behalf of West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: “We are aware of an incident where a patient died shortly after being taken into the Emergency Department of Worcestershire Royal Hospital on October 5.
“We have launched a joint investigation into the circumstances. While that investigation is ongoing it would be inappropriate to say anything further at this stage, other than to express our condolences to the patient’s family, who are being kept fully informed.”
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