Family release 999 calls they made as dad was dying with no ambulance nearby
Listen to the 999 calls made by desperate family on night of man's death
The family of a man who died inside his house following an 11-hour wait for an ambulance have released the audio of the 999 calls where they desperately begged for help.
When Steve Iles first fell ill at his home in Yate, his family were unaware of just how serious his condition was.
As his condition rapidly deteriorated they became concerned and made multiple calls to the ambulance service through 999.
They explained his situation and symptoms but were told there was no available resource nearby.
Steve died as paramedics walked through the door of the family home - 11 hours after their first call.
Now ITV News has obtained the audio from those 999 calls which detail just how serious the situation was and the response they received.
In the calls, Steve's daughter Claire can be heard saying that if an ambulance is not sent immediately then her father is going to die.
CLAIRE: We have been ringing since half past six this morning and you said you were sending an emergency ambulance half an hour ago. He is deteriorating by the minute - he has gone grey.
HANDLER: “Is he breathing?"
CLAIRE: He is hardly breathing - He has been sick for over 24 hours and he has heart failure.
HANDLER: Okay I am organising help for you now, stay on the line and i will tell you exactly what to do next.
CLAIRE: If it isn’t here in a minute he is going to die.
What has the ambulance service has said about the delays?
Deputy director of clinical care at the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust Adrian South said: “On behalf of the Trust, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr Iles.
“Mr Iles did not receive the timely care that he required, and which all of us working in the ambulance service strive every day to provide.
“Too many patients continue to wait far too long to be transferred from ambulances waiting outside emergency departments, because of the large number of hospital beds currently occupied by patients who are waiting for support from social care.
"This, unfortunately, means that sometimes there are not enough ambulances available to attend new 999 calls.“We are working with partners across local health and social care systems to improve this situation.”