A mother of two has tragically died while ‘waiting on the phone for nearly two hours for a doctor’s appointment,’ her heartbroken family has claimed.
Helena Maffei was trying to get an appointment for breathing difficulties when she collapsed at home in front of her 28-year-old son, devastated relatives have said.
Paramedics got to her Kidderminster home but were unable to save the 55-year-old, Birmingham Mail reported.
Daughter Gaetana Maffei, 30, from Stourbridge, said: “Mum had been having health anxieties and so was trying to get an appointment as she was feeling breathless, but was hanging on the phone from 8.30am to 10.15am trying to get through.
“Her phone battery died during the call and she had to ring back and get in line again.
“She got through, just as she collapsed and the receptionist was saying a doctor could call her back at 11.30am.
“My brother Giuseppe rang the ambulance and was giving her CPR and the paramedics did too when they arrived, but it was too late.
“It’s a real shock for the family. She passed away in my brother’s arms and it is just the saddest thing.
“My mum put all her trust in the doctors but there seems to be no urgency with them. The GP surgery put you on hold for ages and that feels useless.
“You wait and wait in phone queues to see a GP.”
Gaetana continued: “Mum was the soul of Kidderminster and we called her ‘Wonderwoman’ because she never stopped.
“She was the glue that held the family together,” said Gaetana. “We just don’t know what to do now.”
Those trying to call Church Street GP surgery’s phoneline are met with a recorded message explaining that there is delays with calls being answered due to staff isolating.
Speaking on behalf of the GP practice, a spokesperson from Wyre Forest Health Partnership said: “As is usual in General Practice we do not comment on individual patient cases, however we will always speak with patients, their families or representatives and investigate with them, where there are concerns or complaints.
“Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.
“The surgery is one of five practices which make up the Wyre Forest Health Partnership.
“So whilst the surgery did lose team members on Thursday due to a Covid positive result, they were immediately replaced with experienced staff from our other practices.”
Helena Maffei’s death comes amid a national outcry for GPs to return to offering face-to-face appointments again now that lockdown has ended and society starts returning to normal.
Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
[sibwp_form id=4]
