A POLICE investigation was launched into a possible case of corporate manslaughter after the death of a man who waited 16 hours for an ambulance.

The inquiry was closed but at the opening of an inquest John Gittins, coroner for North Wales East and Central, said he intended carrying out a wider inquiry into the matter.

He was opening an inquest into the death of 74-year-old Joseph Edge, who died at his home in Queen’s Cottage, Llandegla, on December 29.

The former plumber had retired early after a heart attack and was taking medication.

At the hearing in Ruthin Mr Gittins read a report from North Wales Police but stressed that it was not formal evidence at this stage.

Mr Edge was unwell over Christmas and on December 28 apparently blacked out after getting up to go to the toilet.

He injured his head but recovered and went back to bed. Later that morning his wife Carol went to Coedpoeth to buy a blood pressure monitor and they were surprised that the reading was so low, so Mrs Edge called NHS Direct.

She tried six or seven times but the line was engaged, and on the last occasion she hung on for 25 minutes.

She then called Plas Meddyg surgery in Ruthin and was advised to call an ambulance because her husband was on warfarin for his heart condition.

Mrs Edge dialled 999 at 1.15pm and was told that an ambulance was on its way, but two hours later, when it hadn’t arrived, she called again. The call handler apologised for the delay and told her would be sent as soon as possible.

Two hours later a triage nurse called to check on Mr Edge’s condition and said the call would be upgraded, but every two hours into the night there were similar apologies for the delay.

The final call was made at 3.15am but at 5.15am Mrs Edge found her husband cold and unresponsive.

A First Responder who arrived confirmed that he had died. Home Office pathologist Dr Bryan Rogers gave a provisional cause of death as a heart attack due to ischemic heart disease.

“The police concluded their investigation and did not believe the circumstances merited further enquiries,” said the coroner.

Adjourning the case to a date to be fixed, he added: “Notwithstanding that it was a natural cause of death the significant ambulance delay is one which I want to explore fully.”