A WIDOWER has branded the NHS “appalling” after it took five hours for his late wife to get to hospital.

Peter Smith, from Halstead, called the NHS 111 service on May 25 after his wife Pauline had an “incoherent” episode at home.

After speaking to the operator and a doctor who came for a home visit it took her five hours to get to Colchester Hospital.

She was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer after spending three days in hospital and passed away the next day.

Mr Smith, from Harvey Street, said his experience with the hospital and NHS service was one he would not wish upon anyone.

He said: “The service from NHS 111 was appalling. My wife was incoherent and thrashing about but the operator insisted on speaking to her.

“The operator said she would get a doctor to contact me, which took about an hour, and the doctor took two hours to come out.

“She got to Colchester Hospital at about 6pm and the service there was rubbish.”

He said Pauline, 63, was in hospital undiagnosed from the Wednesday until the Saturday because she was not considered a priority.

She had a CT scan on Saturday and Mr Smith was told she had terminal lung cancer– she died the following day.

He said: “She saw three consultants and every one of them had a different idea it was a complete and utter mess.

“On one of the days I found her laying on the floor with her cannula out, there was no nurse there.

“The next day her curtains were still covered in blood.

“It’s not for her benefit anymore but I want to prevent someone else going through that performance.

“I’m in contact with the hospital and NHS 111 service but they are extremely slow-moving.”

A spokesperson at Colchester General Hospital said: “We are disappointed and sorry that Mr Smith has concerns about the care of his late wife, and we would like to pass on to him our sympathy and condolences for his loss.

“We are currently reviewing her care and treatment after which we will invite him to meet with a consultant involved in looking after Mrs Smith and also senior nursing staff from our medical division to learn the outcome of the investigation.

“One of our most senior nurses phoned Mr Smith on Monday to offer him a meeting on July 15 but, unfortunately, that date was not suitable for him so we are now trying to identify a mutually convenient alternative.”

The NHS 111 service was contacted by the Times but did not respond to a request for comment.