A heartbroken husband has told GB News that his wife of almost 25 years died after waiting more than 16 hours for an ambulance.
Matthew Simpson, 47, lost his wife Teresa, aged just 54, after she suffered a cardiac arrest and lack of oxygen to the brain at Hull Royal Infirmary in November.
Teresa had diabetes and a muscle-wasting disease and fell ill at her home in Hull.
Matthew pulled an emergency lifeline cord when she became confused and the pair had a call with a dispatcher who said they would deploy an ambulance crew.
It was only after Matthew made a further 999 call when his wife further deteriorated that paramedics arrived – but he feels they arrived too late, and now, ashes are now all that are left of Teresa.
He shared his story with GB News after health officials have warned that as many as 500 people a week are dying because of delays in emergency care.
“I still believe if the ambulance came here in a good time, in maybe a six hour window, I still believe my wife would have been in hospital,” he said.
“They [the doctors] would have realised straight away that her sugar levels had dropped, gave her the glucose or whatever she needed, and she would’ve been on a heart monitor, so if she did have a heart attack, she would’ve been on a heart monitor and they would’ve known, not have a heart attack at home.
“How many more people are going to lose their life? How many more people are going to have to have gone through what I’ve gone through these past five weeks?
“It’s unfair, yeah - we knew my wife was going to lose her life one day, but not to be left like this, not when they know she has myotonic dystrophy, diabetes and was confused.
“Something needs to change – you either need to be pumping more money into it [the NHS] or we need to be changing the government.”
Matthew is struggling to come to terms with Teresa’s death and is angry about the delay in her care. He feels like the NHS failed her and has lodged a grievance against the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust.
Matthew is struggling to come to terms with Teresa’s death and is angry about the delay in her care.
Matthew Simpson
He told GB News: “She [Teresa] wasn’t only my wife, but she was my best friend. She was my soulmate. We could finish each other’s sentences.
“Sometimes we could come out with the same word, and if we did, one of us would say ‘snap’, the other would say ‘crackle’ and the other one would say ‘pop’ and that’s how we was.
“Not only was she my wife, but she was very supportive. She never once in my entire life of being married to her, never once moaned about her illness.
“I would lay down my life for her and die for her. I would, I seriously would because she was an outstanding woman.”
In response to Matthew’s complaint, Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust said:
“Our thoughts are with Mr Simpson on the sad loss of his wife Teresa in November 2022, and we offer him our sincere condolences.
“Our Patient Relations Team has received correspondence from Mr Simpson raising concerns about our response to this incident. They will liaise directly with Mr Simpson about specific details relating to this.”
A health service already facing winter pressures has been stretched by ambulance delays, gridlock at accident and emergency units, staff shortages and ongoing industrial unrest.
With hundreds dying every week because of delays in emergency health care, Matthew hopes that sharing his heartbreak will push for reforms to made to the NHS.
Matthew Simpson, 47, lost his wife Teresa, aged just 54, after she suffered a cardiac arrest and lack of oxygen to the brain at Hull Royal Infirmary in November.
Matthew Simpson