Diabetic student nurse had heart attack and died after five-hour wait for ambulance, inquest hears
Lisa Day fell severely ill on 7 September last year and was vomiting blood while at a friend's house
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
A student nurse with diabetes had a heart attack and died after waiting almost five hours for an ambulance, an inquest has heard.
Lisa Day, 27, a Type 1 diabetic, fell severely ill on 7 September last year and was vomiting blood while at a friend's house.
Her friend Luke Halliburton called the NHS 111 service to ask for an ambulance shortly after 5pm, but by 10pm it had still not turned up, St Pancras Coroner's Court heard.
During that time her condition seriously deteriorated and she had a heart attack and was found unconscious on a bed.
Miss Day, who lived in Fortune Green Road in West Hampstead, north London, died in hospital five days later.
In a statement read out in court, Mr Halliburton, who is an acting sergeant with the Metropolitan Police, told how Miss Day had fallen ill and started vomiting in the night.
He said: “Throughout the day I could hear that she was unwell and could hear her vomiting occasionally. When I heard her do this I checked on her.
“She had a sore throat and her voice was hoarse. She asked me to call an ambulance. I called NHS Direct on 111 from my mobile.”
He added: “I was told an ambulance would be sent, I was aware there were often very long delays for an ambulance to attend and periodically checked on Lisa throughout the day.”
At 10pm paramedics still had not arrived, and the London Ambulance Service called to check on Lisa.
Mr Halliburton then found her unconscious lying in the bed in her underwear with her head on the side of the mattress.
“I went back into the room and couldn't hear her breathing and couldn't rouse her,” Mr Halliburton said.
“I immediately dialled 999 and informed the London Ambulance Service (LAS) that Lisa was unresponsive and not breathing.
“I moved Lisa from the bed to the hallway and checked to see if her airways were clear and if she was breathing. She wasn't so I started CPR until the LAS first responder arrived.”
She was taken to the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead where she died five days later.
PA
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments