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Great-grandfather, 85, waited two-and-a-half hours for an ambulance as he lay in a 'pool of his own blood'

Ellen Manning
·4-min read
Charles Hall pool of blood. The family of a great grandfather have been left 'shocked and upset' after he was found lying in a pool of blood while waiting two-and-half-hours for an ambulance. See SWNS story SWMDwait. Charles Hall, 85, was found lying in a pool blood after a suspected fall at his house, by daughter, Joanne and husband John on October 4. Realising the former police officer was in trouble, the family kicked the door down and immediately called the ambulance service. Son-in-law, John, 56, who is first aid trained, tended to Charles whilst he was falling in and out of consciousness on the floor. The family, who said the scene at Charles' house 'looked like a crime scene', said he probably had a fall in his kitchen and tried to reach the telephone near his front door. As the family tended to widow Charles, they had to wait two-and-a-half hours for the East Midlands Ambulance Service to arrive at the address in Hinckley, Leics. Sadly, father-of-two Charles died the following day at Leicester Infirmary - with his cause of death being kidney failure due to a fall, which eventually lead to a cardiac arrest.
Charles Hall's family found him lying in a pool of blood at his home after apparently having a fall. (SWNS)

A great grandfather was left lying in a pool of his own blood for two-and-a-half hours while waiting for an ambulance, his family have claimed.

The family of Charles Hall, 85, said they were "shocked and upset" after the incident, which happened a day before he then died in hospital, and have now lodged a complaint.

Hall was found lying in a pool of blood by daughter Joanne and her husband John after a suspected fall at his home on 4 October.

After kicking down the door to get to him, they called an ambulance but said they had to wait for two-and-a-half hours for an East Midlands Ambulance Service to arrive at the address in Hinckley, Leicestershire.

The 85-year-old was taken to hospital but died the following day. The cause of death was given as kidney failure due to a fall, which eventually lead to a cardiac arrest.

FILE PICTURE - GV of Leicester Royal Infirmary. The family of a great grandfather have been left 'shocked and upset' after he was found lying in a pool of blood while waiting two-and-half-hours for an ambulance. See SWNS story SWMDwait. Charles Hall, 85, was found lying in a pool blood after a suspected fall at his house, by daughter, Joanne and husband John on October 4. Realising the former police officer was in trouble, the family kicked the door down and immediately called the ambulance service. Son-in-law, John, 56, who is first aid trained, tended to Charles whilst he was falling in and out of consciousness on the floor. The family, who said the scene at Charles' house 'looked like a crime scene', said he probably had a fall in his kitchen and tried to reach the telephone near his front door. As the family tended to widow Charles, they had to wait two-and-a-half hours for the East Midlands Ambulance Service to arrive at the address in Hinckley, Leics. Sadly, father-of-two Charles died the followi
Charles Hall, 85, was eventually taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary but died there the next day. (SWNS)

The family, who described the scene as 'like a crime scene', think Hall had a fall in his kitchen and was trying to reach the phone near his front door.

Son-in-law, John, 56, who is first aid trained and tended to the widower as he drifted in and out of consciousness, said: "My wife rang me at around 5.30pm to tell me that her dad was on the floor, and that she couldn't get in the door.

"My brother and sister-in-law arrived and kicked down the door - and there he was, on the floor covered in blood."

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"We, as a family, are still trying to piece together exactly what happened. It was utter carnage - the kitchen table had been shoved out the way, one slipper in one corner of the room.

"We think he may have had a fall in the kitchen and tried to make it to the telephone stand and couldn't. That's where we found him.

"He was in a right old state, bless him. It wasn't dignified at all."

FILE PICTURE - An East Midlands Ambulance Service vehicle. The family of a great grandfather have been left 'shocked and upset' after he was found lying in a pool of blood while waiting two-and-half-hours for an ambulance. See SWNS story SWMDwait. Charles Hall, 85, was found lying in a pool blood after a suspected fall at his house, by daughter, Joanne and husband John on October 4. Realising the former police officer was in trouble, the family kicked the door down and immediately called the ambulance service. Son-in-law, John, 56, who is first aid trained, tended to Charles whilst he was falling in and out of consciousness on the floor. The family, who said the scene at Charles' house 'looked like a crime scene', said he probably had a fall in his kitchen and tried to reach the telephone near his front door. As the family tended to widow Charles, they had to wait two-and-a-half hours for the East Midlands Ambulance Service to arrive at the address in Hinckley, Leics. Sadly, father-of-two Charles died the following day at Leicester Infirmary - with his cause of death being kidney failure due to a fall, which eventually lead to a cardiac arrest.
As the family tended to Hall, they had to wait two-and-a-half hours for the East Midlands Ambulance Service to arrive at the address in Hinckley, Leicestershire. (SWNS)

He said when they rang for an ambulance they were told nobody could come for two-and-a-half hours, leaving him to administer first aid.

"I did all the usual checks and made sure he could move his fingers and legs, I helped put him in the recovery position - very responsive, we had a chat.

"But over the two-and-a-half hours, I rang the ambulance and said he is having a trouble breathing and in and out of consciousness.

"They still said then, the ambulance will be another hour. I was thinking they cannot do this.

"When they arrived at around 8pm, they said to us 'this is a priority'."

The family have now lodged a complaint with East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) and an investigation is set to take place, which could take up to 60 days.

Richard Lyne, divisional director of EMAS, said: "I would like to offer my deepest condolences to Mr Hall’s family, all of whom we understand have faced a deeply difficult time.

"Patient care and safety is always our priority and I am sorry that on this occasion the service provided to Mr Hall was not to the standard he rightly expected.

"At the time of Mr Hall’s call there was continued high demand on EMAS and the wider NHS system, and we were responding to a number of people whose life was reported to be at immediate risk.

"We are currently in contact with Mr Hall’s family through our Patient Advice and Liaison Service and are fully investigating the reason for this delay."

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