A grandfather who was kept waiting for more than five hours in anwith chest pain died in his chair from a , an inquest heard.

William Phillips was rushed to Wrexham Maelor Hospital in September 2020 by his wife, Brenda, after giving up waiting for an ambulance. She was forced to leave him alone because of the pandemic restrictions in place and he was escorted to a chair in the waiting room. CCTV showed Mr Phillips in pain while waiting from around 9pm, and at 1.38am stopped moving until a patient finally noticed he was unresponsive.

Mrs Phillips told the inquest in Ruthin, Wales: “I felt he was in the best place and he would be looked after. I was in complete and utter shock. We said goodbye. Unbeknown to me, this was the last time I saw him alive.

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“Bill worked hard all his life providing for his family, never asking or expecting anything from anyone, and had nothing but praise and appreciation for the . He was grateful for all they had done for him over the years. He was a quiet man, who didn't like to make a fuss. “He would sit patiently and wait his turn, as evidenced by the events of that day and night in the emergency department. The events of that day and night will haunt and stay with us for the rest of our lives.”

She explained how her husband had began to feel unwell four days earlier while they were on holiday in Cornwall. The day before his death, with a GP concerned about him, she had been advised to call the ambulance service and a community first responder attended their home. She believed his heart rate was going up and down, .

Stuart Jones, a senior charge nurse, said in evidence: ”A&E was full, there was no trolley space available. There were ambulances outside. Patients were in cars outside.”

Asked by the coroner John Gittins about staffing levels, he replied: ”I don’t believe they were great.” A pathologist added Mr Phillips died from a heart condition.

Professor Saul Myerson, a cardiology expert, told the coroner Mr Phillips had a previous history of coronary artery disease. He said: “He didn’t present with symptoms specifically cardiac but had a high heart rate at times.” He added an ECG test would normally be carried out early on after triage which would have meant his survival.

Recording a narrative conclusion, coroner John Gittins said: “While it’s not possible to establish from the evidence whether the cardiac event which caused the death was preventable, the absence of investigation denied him any opportunity for appropriate care and treatment.”

Adam Hodson, Senior Associate clinical negligence specialist at Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors, said: “An internal investigation by the health board concluded a catalogue of errors occurred, The coroner’s conclusion today confirmed Bill lost the opportunity to receive appropriate care and treatment, and as a consequence he died alone in the waiting room of the emergency department at Wrexham Maelor hospital treatment.

“Had he been seen and received treatment, the family believe he would still have been with us today. This is a tragic and heart-breaking case, and my thoughts are with Bill’s wife and family at this sad time.”