PEOPLE'S lives are being put at risk by delays in admitting them to hospitals in north Wales, says a new coroner's report.

The report has been released following the death of Ester Wood in April 2017, after the 46-year-old spent five hours in an ambulance before she was admitted to Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

An inquest into her death last month found that she died from Bronchopneumonia, liver failure and other complications.

David Pojur's Regulation 28 Report has been published to try and prevent further deaths in the future.

Mr Pojur, Assistant Coroner for North Wales (East and Central), writes that Ester Wood was taken from her home in Mold to Wrexham Maelor Hospital on April 3, 2017 and she stayed in the ambulance from 20.05pm until 1am in a stable condition.

In the report, he says: "On admission and subsequent examination, she was in a very poor clinical condition.

"Despite best efforts several organs were failing and she did not respond to medical interventions."

Mr Pojur added: "In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken.

"The issues of ambulance delays/ admission to ED/ availability of resources/ patient flow and the mulifactorial problems associated with cases of this nature have been reported upon by this Court on several occasions following previous inquests, most recently on 17th May 2017 by Mr Gittins, Senior Cornoner, following the death of Lilly Baxendall.

"Despite the above reports issued to the health board and other relevant bodies, these problems continue to the present day and patient's lives are being put at risk as a result."

The report requires action from both Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and the Welsh Ambulance Service and they have a deadline of August 1 to respond.

A Welsh Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We can confirm that we have received the Regulation 28 notification from the coroner in relation to this sad case.

"We are working closely with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and will submit our response to the coroner in line with his timescales.”

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board will not currently be providing a comment but will be complying with the report's request.