Mum of four died of heart attack after waiting 11 hours for ambulance

04 January 2023 , 23:38

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Hannah Houghton suffered a fatal heart attack after waiting 11 hours for an ambulance (Image: James Jackman / SWNS)

A mum-of-four died after waiting 11 hours for an ambulance despite being promised a “blue light response” as she struggled to breathe.

Hannah Houghton, a 36-year-old with cystic fibrosis, was struggling for breath when fiancé James Jackman called 999 at 7.20pm on December 18.

Paramedics did not arrive at the couple's home in Kings Norton, Birmingham, until 6.15am the following morning.

Hannah was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham - which is just three miles from her home - where she was treated for dangerously low blood pressure.

She was transferred to intensive care but suffered a fatal cardiac arrest and died in the early hours of December 22.

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Her grief-stricken fiancé James, a 38-year-old builder, says his partner may have been saved if she had been taken to hospital earlier.

Hannah's fiancé James Jackman was promised a 'blue light response' when he called 999 (James Jackman / SWNS)

He said: "Who knows really but I think that if treatment had started 11 hours previously then we could be facing a different situation.

"Instead we have four children without a mother. It could have made a difference.

"I was told I would get a blue light response but there could be a delay.

"I sat up with her until 6.15 in the morning when they turned up. I couldn't believe the delay.

"I was trying to make her as comfortable as possible throughout the night and kept keeping an eye on her.

"She fought, she was a fighter. I sat with her for 10 minutes and told her I loved her and then she went."

James wants the government to take action to relieve the NHS crisis (James Jackman / SWNS)

James refuses to blame front-line NHS staff for the ongoing health crisis and is now demanding action from government.

He said: "When the paramedics did turn up, you could tell they were all exhausted.

"They did a great job and got Hannah to hospital on a blue light as quickly as possible.

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"I am not putting fault on them. This problem lies further up in the government.

"I know you can't predict what would have happened if she was seen to earlier, but it could have made all the difference."

NHS chiefs say the current crisis in the health service is unprecedented.

Tracy Bullock, chief executive of University Hospitals of North Midlands, said: "I've been in the NHS for 38 years and, of those, I've worked 32 Christmases and this has been the most difficult Christmas that I've ever witnessed."

SWNS