An English teacher who suffered a devastating stroke has lost the ability to speak following major delays in his NHS care, his family claims. Gareth Thomas Hale, who had been celebrating his all-clear from prostate cancer, collapsed in the front garden of his home in Bassaleg, Newport, on April 25, 2021.
Despite a neighbour spotting Gareth and immediately dialling 999 at around 5.30pm, his family say an ambulance failed to arrive, forcing a paramedic - who was at the scene roughly an hour after the initial call - to "pull" the patient into the back of his rapid response car and take him to A&E by 7.30pm.
Due to the two-hour delay in getting the 66-year-old to hospital, it is alleged he missed the window of opportunity to be thrombolised - a treatment which can reduce the impact of stroke - or given a thrombectomy to remove the blood clots as it is not available in Wales. Gareth, who was running his own online English teaching business, has now lost all his written and verbal communication, cannot use his right arm or walk unaided. In response, the health board has said thrombolosis treatment would not have been suitable for Mr Hale, and said an investigation into circumstances surrounding Mr Hale's care has been carried out.
