A CORONER has criticised Dorset's out of hours doctor service after medics called to treat a dying man failed to turn up.

Peter Vernon Conolly, 52, of Blandford, was found dead at home after suffering from pneumonia - despite his family making repeated calls to Dorset Emergency Care Service (DECS).

An inquest at Dorchester heard Mr Conolly's wife, Glynis, was told a nurse would visit to provide help after her family raised concerns about her husband suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting for three days.

The aid never arrived and Mrs Conolly discovered her husband dead the next morning.

Coroner Michael Johnston heard Dorset's out-of-hours service struggled to cope with the volume of calls on November 7 last year, the day before the victim's death.

A fax machine, sending out details of emergencies, broke down as an on-call doctor was left to prioritise calls, including Mr Conolly's.

Mr Johnston said: "Mr Conolly suffered diarrhoea and vomiting for two or three days.

"Phone calls were made requesting the attendance of medical assistance.

"Through various delays and problems no assistance was given to him and he was found dead the following day."

He added: "It must have been a very frightening time for Mrs Conolly and she has every reason to be asking why this could have happened.

"This is a situation I feel shouldn't have occurred but unfortunately it has.

"Some strides have been taken to improve the out of hours service since but more work needs to be done to ensure all the medical agencies work together better.

"The public simply can't be expected to be ill at a time of convenience to surgeries."

The inquest heard Mr Conolly, of St Leonards Terrace, Blandford, was prescribed methadone for a number of years before his death. He had a history of abusing prescription drugs, as well as having chest and lung problems.

Wife Glynis said she became concerned when both she and Mr Conolly went down with sickness and diarrhoea.

An autopsy revealed Mr Conolly, who also suffered from hepatitis B and C, died from heart failure from a combination of pneumonia and the drugs he had taken.

On-call Shaftesbury doctor Julian Selwyn said 45 patients were referred to him in a 10-hour period on November 6.

A spokesman said: "Dorset Emergency Care Service immediately carried out a full investigation into this unfortunate incident and has taken significant steps to ensure that this does not happen again."

First published: May 19