Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Bina Patel, 56, mother-of-two, died after waiting an hour for ambulance

Bina Patel, 56, mother-of-two, died after waiting an hour for ambulance

A British Indian mother-of-two had died last month after waiting 'almost an hour' for an ambulance to arrive, reported The Daily Mail.

Bina Patel, 56, from Ashton-under-Lyne, in Tameside, Greater Manchester already had 'no pulse' by the time paramedics got to her home, said her son Ashkay.


According to the report, she has been 'struggling to breathe' and was heard screaming 'help me, I'm dying, I can't breathe' in 999 call recordings.

She died from a 'suspected cardiac arrest', according to a patient report completed by North West Ambulance Service (NWAS).

Ashkay, 27, had called for an ambulance 'seven times' as her condition deteriorated, in the early hours of October 11, and sat with her as she took her final breaths, The Mail report said. Now, he blames NWAS for her death.

In the weeks following the tragedy, Ashkay has demanded answers, saying 'my mum suffocated for almost an hour' and that her life 'could have been saved'.

Recent figures revealed that patients suffering heart attacks and strokes are waiting for more than an hour for an ambulance amid crippling NHS pressure.

Patel, who worked in the town's Asda as a cashier for 15 years, had been out to meet friends in Leicester on October 10 before returning home and heading to bed. All seemed well and she was happy, said her son.

But in the early hours of the next morning, Ashkay woke to the sounds of her shouting for his help, frightened that she was struggling to breathe.

Patel had long-term diabetes but no unexpected, underlying conditions that would leave her short of breath. When her condition deteriorated, he made his first of seven calls to 999, asking for an ambulance just after 2.30am.

The call handler told him an ambulance would be on its way and that he should attempt to keep the patient calm, Ashkay told The Mail.

According to the report, the times of the calls, following the initial report at 2.30am, were 2.52am, 3.03am, 3.10am, 3.17am, 3.23am and another a few seconds later.

During the call at 2.52, the call handler can be heard saying that the wait for an ambulance is an 'hour and a half' as 'we're very busy'.

In the second recording, from the call at 3.17am, Ashkay tells the emergency service that his mother has now stopped breathing entirely.

A call handler can be heard saying that there is 'nothing' Ashkay can do to help, and that he should wait for paramedics to arrive. The call handler then said they have 'another call coming in and (they) have to hang up'.

According to Ashkay, an ambulance and paramedic car arrived at 3.27am, nearly an hour after his initial 999 call. Patel has pronounced dead shortly after.

By this point, he had been doing CPR as directed by the call handler to no effect and his mother was already dead, he claimed.

"The level of care received on that evening was just atrocious," Ashkay was quoted as saying.

"Tameside Hospital is two minutes up the road from where we live. If I could have got her in the car and driven her up there myself, I would have. But she just couldn't. A life potentially could have been saved that night because she was struggling for breath for a full hour while waiting for the ambulance service."

NWAS is now making internal enquiries into the incident, said Ashkay, and has promised him a response within 60 days.

A NWAS spokesperson said: "We wish to pass on our deepest sympathies to  Patel and his family for the loss of his mother. We can confirm we have received an official complaint, and the investigation is ongoing. We are in contact with the family and will update them with our findings."

Ashkay and his brother hope to raise money in her memory for their local temple and the British Heart Foundation.

More For You

Modi courts Latin nations to expand trade relations

Christine Kangaloo awards Narendra Modi with the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago last Friday (4)

Modi courts Latin nations to expand trade relations

INDIA’S prime minister, Narendra Modi met Argentine president Javier Milei in Buenos Aires last Saturday (5), urging the expansion of New Delhi’s preferential trade deal with South America’s Mercosur bloc.

The bilateral talks with Milei were the latest in Modi’s whistle-stop diplomatic tour culminating in the summit of Brics emerging economies which began last Sunday (6) in Brazil.

Keep ReadingShow less
Minister 'open to talks' on British Sikh regiment

Lord Coaker (Photo: UK Parliament)

Minister 'open to talks' on British Sikh regiment

A FRESH parliamentary initiative to establish a dedicated Sikh regiment within the British Army has gained momentum in the House of Lords, with defence minister Lord Coaker expressing willingness to engage in further discussions about the long-debated proposal.

The issue was raised in the House of Lords on Monday (7) by Labour peer Lord Sahota, who asked whether there had been any progress on long-standing calls for a Sikh regiment.

Keep ReadingShow less
Heatwave Alert: Don’t Leave Contraceptives or Medication in Cars

Heat can also damage everyday items like sunglasses, suncream and vape devices

iStock

Drivers warned to remove contraceptives and medication from cars during UK heatwave

Highlights:

  • Experts urge motorists to avoid leaving certain items in vehicles during upcoming heatwave
  • Temperatures expected to rise above 30°C across large parts of the UK
  • Contraceptives and common medications can lose effectiveness in high heat
  • Heat can also damage everyday items like sunglasses, suncream and vape devices

Drivers urged to act as UK braces for extended heatwave

Drivers across the UK are being urged to remove a range of everyday items from their cars ahead of a predicted heatwave, with experts warning that the rising temperatures could pose both safety and health risks.

The Met Office has forecast a prolonged spell of hot weather, with temperatures expected to soar into the low 30s on Thursday and Friday. Much of the UK is likely to hit its regional heatwave threshold by the weekend, with this episode potentially affecting a wider area and lasting longer than previous hot spells.

Keep ReadingShow less
Royal Mail

The Royal Mail logo is seen on the side of a van as the UK government clear a 3.57 billion pound takeover offer by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky in London, December 16, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)

Reuters

Ofcom updates Royal Mail delivery targets, starts pricing review

MEDIA regulator Ofcom has set new minimum delivery standards for Royal Mail and revised existing targets in an effort to reduce delays. It also announced a review into pricing and affordability, amid concerns over rising stamp prices.

Royal Mail, which has faced fines of around $20 million over the past two years for not meeting delivery targets, is currently trying to modernise operations and focus more on parcel deliveries.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sheikh Hasina

Hasina left for India at the end of the student-led protests and has not returned to Dhaka, where her trial for alleged crimes against humanity began on June 1. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Leaked audio suggests Hasina ordered use of force during 2024 protests

SOME leaked audio recordings suggest Bangladesh’s former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently on trial in absentia, ordered a deadly crackdown on protests last year.

According to the United Nations, up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August 2024 when Hasina's government cracked down on demonstrators during an attempt to stay in power.

Keep ReadingShow less