A mother-of-two died suddenly while “waiting on the phone for nearly two hours for a doctor’s appointment”, her family has claimed.
Relatives allege that the popular baker Helena Maffei – described as “the soul of Kidderminster” – was trying to get a GP appointment for breathing difficulties when she collapsed at home in front of her 28-year-old son.
Paramedics arrived and gave the 55-year-old CPR but were unable to save her on Thursday morning and she passed away.
Her death comes amid a national outcry for GPs to return to offering face-to-face appointments again now that lockdown has ended and society starts returning to normal.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid called on GPs to offer “face-to-face access” in the Commons earlier this week.
Daughter Gaetana Maffei, 30, from Stourbridge, said: “Mum had been having health anxieties and so was trying to get an appointment as she was feeling breathless, but was hanging on the phone from 8.30am to 10.15am trying to get through.
“Her phone battery died during the call and she had to ring back and get in line again.
“She got through, just as she collapsed and the receptionist was saying a doctor could call her back at 11.30am.
“My brother Giuseppe rang the ambulance and was giving her CPR and the paramedics did too when they arrived, but it was too late.
