NHS is accused of ‘failing’ retired Army Colonel, 88, who died having been left in freezing conditions for hours after falling from a taxi

The NHS has been accused of ‘failing’ a retired Army Colonel, after he left in freezing conditions waiting for an ambulance, after falling from a taxi. 

The family of John Codd, known as Bill, had said the NHS let him down after he died following a fall from a taxi, urging for a change in the system to ensure ‘his life should not be lost in vain’. 

Mr Codd, 88, died in the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro – one of Britain’s most under pressure hospitals – on 16 January hours after stumbling from a cab in St Austell.

Family friend Mike Norris said Bill, who was generally in good health, had died from an injury ‘he should not really have died from’ after being left in freezing conditions for over two hours for an ambulance. 

The retired serviceman then waited in the back of an ambulance for over three hours before receiving treatment in the accident and emergency department.  

The hospital and ambulance service have apologised for the delays in emergency treatment.

Bill retired to Cornwall after serving as a Colonel in the British Army before working for the Ordnance Survey.

Mr Norris spoke on behalf of his family and said: ‘There are circumstances about Bill’s death which are not very satisfactory at all.

‘The slow response time, being kept in an ambulance outside and then arriving in A&E too late to do anything for an injury he should not really have died from.

‘Bill has gone very sadly. The NHS has failed him in my opinion. We would not want that to happen to anyone else. His life should not be lost in vain.

‘It should be used to put a marker down to try and improve the system.’

‘He spent a lifetime working in the Army and then Ordnance Survey, all service that the public benefits from, he served with distinction.

‘When we get old we rely on the NHS responding to our needs and in this case they let him down.’

South Western Ambulance Service confirmed it took two hours and 18 minutes for an ambulance to reach Mr Codd, according to the BBC.

A source from the ambulance service told the MailOnline that emergency services were called to a care home where the retired Army Colonel was residing, and was accompanied by staff. 

Ambulance response times in the South West are among the worst in the UK at three times slower than the national target, according to figures which were released by NHS England last year. 

The Royal Cornwall Hospital is one of the most under pressure hospitals in the country with long handover times and this week it declared a critical incident.

The senior Cornwall coroner has also expressed concerns about more avoidable deaths.

The hospital Trust and South West Ambulance Trust said: ‘We are sorry for the delays Mr Codd experienced and extend our heartfelt condolences to his family following his sad death.

‘We are sorry for the delays Mr Codd experienced and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family following his sad death’. 

They added: ‘None of us want patients to experience any delay in their care and staff across our health and care system are doing everything possible to ensure people are able the get the care they need, when they need it.’

As well as the NHS Trust’s own review of Mr Codd’s care, an investigation will be undertaken by the Coroner ahead of an Inquest which will be heard in the coming months.