A WOMAN from Oldham who called an ambulance after she overdosed on medication was discovered dead when it arrived more than two hours later, an inquest heard.

Marcia Alston-Greenwood told a call handler for North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) a list of the medication she took on the night of September 26, and also complained of breathing difficulties.

But the service was beset with hundreds of incidents and staff shortages, and was unable to meet a 40-minute target. 

When the paramedics arrived at Marcia’s home on Heron Street more than two hours after the call, the 50-year-old was discovered dead in an armchair in the living room.

Her husband, Peter Alston-Greenwood, and her daughter, Amy Alston-Greenwood, were asleep upstairs at the time.

At Rochdale Coroner’s Court on Wednesday, Mr Alston-Greenwood said: "I think it's a joke.

"If we knew she had breathing difficulties, I don't understand why there wasn't any action.”

Described as ‘a happy, jolly lady’ who loved her dog Willow, Marcia lived with physical and mental health issues which ended a career in finance.

She was registered disabled for around eight years and in regular contact with a psychiatrist after a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder.

The psychiatrist, Dr Julia Hose, told the inquest Marcia mentioned suicidal ideas during multiple appointments, but it was not enough to suggest she might act upon them.

The fact she called an ambulance on the night she overdosed on medication, as well as the fact she unlocked the front door before she died, convinced assistant coroner Matthew Cox she did not intend to take her own life.

Dr Hose, who was praised by Mr Alston-Greenwood for her work with Marcia, said: "I was hoping the work we were doing would help with the suicidal ideas over time."

On the issue of the NWAS response, service manager Liam Kendrick told the inquest there was an investigation into it.

Some lessons were identified, including ‘a slight lack of empathy’ by the call handler, but Mr Kendrick stressed the categorisation of the call was correct and the attendance of an ambulance after more than two hours was a result of pressure on the service.

At least 400 incidents needed allocation at the time and there were staff shortages due to coronavirus.

A review of the call occurred after an hour, but outgoing calls to check on earlier callers were not possible due to the number of incoming calls.

Returning a narrative conclusion, Mr Cox accepted this explanation and said: "It's impossible to say if an ambulance arrived within 40 minutes the outcome would have been different. 

“The family’s concerns are understandable, but I have to reach conclusions on the balance of probabilities, rather than what might have happened.”

After the inquest, a spokesperson for NWAS said: “Our thoughts and sympathies are with Mrs Alston-Greenwood’s family at this incredibly difficult time.

“We would like to apologise for the time it took for an ambulance to arrive. While this is due to the extreme demand the ambulance service has been facing, it is not the level of service we want to provide to our patients and for that, we are very sorry.”