Hospital delay 'did not contribute' to patient's death

The health board of the hospital where Michael Bowen died said it had made several improvements to its service in the wake of the patient's death following a four-hour wait in an ambulance.

Following a coroner's conclusion that Mr Bowen did not because of the delay, the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board released a statement highlighting changes it had made, including:

• Strengthening the protocol over how patients should be managed in the event of delays admitting patients from ambulances
• Reviewing its escalation policy during busy times
• Investing around £1.5 million in new schemes and additional staff

• Planning to invest £500,000 in new community-based staff to reduce the number of emergency admissions of frail, older people.

"We wish to extend our deepest condolences to Mr Bowen’s family for their very sad loss," the statement added.

A coroner has concluded that a patient who was forced to wait more than four hours in an ambulance outside a hospital did not die because of the delay.

Michael Bowen died at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, South Wales, in January.

The coroner, Andrew Barkley, concluded his death was caused by thrombosis of his liver, which led to a seizure.

Recording a narrative verdict, he said: "I don't believe on balance the delay made any significant difference to the ultimate outcome.

"It does not appear the delays, as unsatisfactory as they were, caused or contributed to his death."

He said he was satisfied the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg Health Board had taken steps to ensure similar incidents could not happen again.

The solicitor for Mr Bowen's family said the verdict was not a surprise based on the evidence, and that they drew comfort from the lessons that have been learnt by the hospital.

A patient who died after waiting more than four hours to be admitted to A&E may not have survived if he had been diagnosed sooner, an inquest has heard.

Michael Bowen died at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, South Wales in January. He had arrived in an ambulance but there was no room for him at the hospital, the court was told.

He was suffering from complications associated with liver disease, and died following a seizure three hours after finally being admitted.

The consultant on duty, Dr Matthew Jones, was asked if he thought the delay in diagnosis contributed to his death.

"I don't believe so," he said. "If the diagnosis was made earlier, it would not necessarily have made any difference."

A nurse at the hospital where Michael Bowen died says she believed there was "no difference" in the level of care he received after being kept in an ambulance outside hospital.

ITV News' Ben Chapman reports from Mr Bowen's inquest:

A nurse at the inquest into the death of Michael Bowen - a man who died after waiting in an ambulance outside hospital for several hours - has explained that she made the decision to remove him from accident and emergency as there was "no space" for him.

ITV News' Ben Chapman reports:

Read: Inquest into death of man left in ambulance for four hours

A senior nurse at the hospital where a man died after waiting in an ambulance for hours has told an inquest her accident and emergency ward was tackling "capacity issues" at the time.

ITV News' Ben Chapman reports:

Read: Inquest into death of man left in ambulance for four hours

A verdict is expected following an inquest into the death of a man who died following a four hour wait in an ambulance outside the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend.

58-year-old Michael Bowen was taken to hospital after complaining of difficulty breathing in January.

He was attended to by paramedics in an ambulance for over four hours, but collapsed and died in A&E later that day.

At the time Abertawe Bro Morgannwg Health University Health Board said there were 'delays' in admitting patients due to the business of the emergency department.

"Capacity issues" left a man waiting in an ambulance outside hospital for several hours, a coroner has told an inquest into his death.