Mum-of-two died suddenly while 'waiting nearly two hours on phone for GP appointment', family say

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 of Helena Maffei have said they are "devastated" as they claim she collapsed at home in Kidderminster whilst waiting to get a GP appointment for breathing difficulties.

Paramedics arrived and gave her CPR but were unable to save her last week on Thursday morning.

Helena had run a family business called Continental Bakery for 35 years with her husband Tony and lived above the shop in Stourbridge Road, Kidderminster.

The 55-year-old's daughter, Gaetana Maffei, said she was feeling ill at home and was put on hold in a long wait to get through to Church Street Surgery in the Worcestershire-based town when she collapsed and died.

She 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 added.

It is alleged that once Helena managed to get through to the GP practice, she collapsed, as the receptionist offered a call back later in the day.

Helena's son, Giuseppe, made the call for the ambulance, and was giving his mother CPR. When the paramedics arrived, it was too late.

Speaking on behalf of the GP practice, a spokesperson from Wyre Forest Health Partnership said: "As is usual in General Practice we do not comment on individual patient cases, however we will always speak with patients, their families or representatives and investigate with them, where there are concerns or complaints.

"Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time."