Woman's anguish over ambulance times after husband's death

Much loved husband and father Paul Blehs died on May 30 at the age of 47, three days after suffering a heart attack at his home in Stour Road, Christchurch.

Paul and his wife Emma were at home on May 27 when Paul, described as “perfectly healthy” in the days leading to his death, collapsed suddenly.

A concerned Emma immediately called 999 at 11.51pm, before allegedly being put on hold several times while frantically trying to resuscitate her husband.

Emma told the Echo: “He had no health issues at all. There was no warning whatsoever.

Christchurch man Paul Blehs, who died aged 47 in May 2022 (Image: Emma Blehs)

“I rang 999, did CPR and was put on hold over and over again while I’m telling them my husband’s heart is not beating and he’s not breathing.

“Somebody would keep answering and I would explain but I was put back on hold again. All this time I was doing CPR on my dead husband.

“I live a three-minute blue lights journey between the hospital and ambulance station. It took them 22 minutes to get to me.

“I know as a vet nurse myself that with lack of oxygen to the brain, within six minutes your organs start to shut down - so I knew he wasn’t coming back.”

Paramedics eventually arrived and worked on Paul for an hour before he was taken to Royal Bournemouth Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, where he was placed on a ventilator.

However, because he had been without oxygen for so long, his organs had shut down and his life support was switched off soon after.

Ambulances outside Royal Bournemouth Hospital (Image: Reader)

Following the horrifying experience, Emma - who also lost her first husband to a heart attack six years ago - has been unable to understand why the South Western Ambulance Service (SWASFT) response took so long.

“I don’t want heads on a block as nothing is going to bring him back, I just want them to tell me why,” Emma, 48, said.

“The paramedics did an amazing job but the damage was done. Also with the call handlers, this wasn’t their fault, it’s the system that needs to change.

“Change is needed because this wasn’t a broken leg, Paul died as a result of not getting a faster emergency response. Again, this isn’t a fault thing. The ambulance service does amazing work, but this should not happen.

“I don’t want anyone else to go through this.”

Paul Blehs and his wife Emma (Image: Emma Blehs)

A SWASFT spokesperson said: “We would like to offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr Blehs.

“We are currently conducting an internal review into this incident, and the findings will be shared with his next of kin on completion.

“The whole health and social care system has been under sustained pressure for many months now. Our performance has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, partly due to handover delays at emergency departments.

“We are working with our partners to ensure our ambulance clinicians can get back out on the road as quickly as possible, to respond to other 999 calls within the community.”

Described by Emma as “just a wonderful person”, Paul Blehs was an accomplished local fisherman whose funeral on June 23 was attended by 200 people.

Paul leaves behind his wife, son and two stepdaughters.