At PMQs today, Ed Davey told the devastating story of an elderly woman Jean, who dialled 999 only to be told it would be an eight hour wait for an ambulance to arrive. Jean was forced to drive herself to Eastbourne District General Hospital, where she collapsed in A&E and died an hour later.

He asked the Prime Minister to apologise to Jean’s family and all those who have lost loved ones amid a crisis in ambulance services in the South East and across the country.

Lib Dem's Ed Davey asks for apology for family of woman who died after driving herself to hospital due to eight-hour ambulance wait 

PM says his "thoughts and condolences" go to her family and the government have put forward emergency care planshttps://t.co/6lMtKs8nAl #PMQs pic.twitter.com/oL1rPygCya

— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) March 8, 2023

The text is below:

Mr Speaker,

When Jean rang 999, she was told it would take at least eight hours for an ambulance to arrive.

So she got in her car and drove herself to Eastbourne District General Hospital.

She paid for parking, and made it to the entrance to A and E – where she collapsed.

Jean died an hour later.

Mr Speaker,

No one should lose their mother or their grandmother like that.

So will the Prime Minister apologise to Jean’s family, and all those who have lost loved ones to this Government’s appalling ambulance delays?

Afterwards, Ed  said:

This heart-breaking case shows the devastating consequences of ambulance delays on patients and their families. My thoughts are with Jean’s family and friends.

Years of neglect and underinvestment are stretching our local health services to breaking point, but Conservative ministers just don’t seem to get it.

The Prime Minister should visit Eastbourne General Hospital A&E department to see for himself the true extent of this ambulance crisis. He also owes an apology to every family who has lost a loved one as a result of these dangerous waiting times.

Today’s response from Rishi Sunak was simply not good enough.