Elderly man dies after collapsing near Clacton doctor's surgery

Brian Fenn, 77, was cycling down North Road, Clacton, at noon on Monday when he started to feel unwell so decided to pull over.

Eyewitnesses say Mr Fenn started to lean over a fence before some refuse collectors checked on him to see if he was OK and grabbed him some water.

One passer-by said he was told the elderly man, who was struggling to breath and talk, had an appointment at the nearby North Road Doctor’s Surgery.

The man decided to head to the practice where he explained the situation and asked if they could help Mr Fenn, who believed he was suffering a heart attack.

However, he said staff at the surgery told him they would not be able to provide him with any aid due to him not being on their premises.

Speaking anonymously, the man said: “I told them they had a patient going up there for his appointment and he was saying he was having a heart attack.

“I spoke to someone who came out but when she got to the man she said there was nothing they could do because he was not on their property.

“I think it is disgraceful and I just cannot believe that no doctors from that surgery would come out to help this man.”

An ambulance arrived at the scene after a hour and transported Mr Fenn to hospital.

But despite the best efforts of paramedics and hospital staff, Mr Fenn’s daughter Nicola Lucas, 43, says her dad died later that day.

She said: “My father collapsed and suffered a heart attack literally just up the road from that surgery.

“When they were asked to come to his aid, they refused on the grounds that it did not happen on their premises.

“As a result my poor father was left lying on the pavement for an hour waiting for an ambulance and I am devastated to say he passed away in hospital.

“My anger is catching up with me now and I am absolutely disgusted with North Road Doctor’s Surgery.”

The North Clacton Medical Group, however, has disputed what happened.

In a statement, it said: “We were very sorry to hear that the gentleman who had become ill not far from our surgery had passed away, and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad time.

“The first we knew of the incident was when a member of the public came into the surgery and asked us if we had an appointment for a man called Ben.

“He said the man was nearby and had become ill and was now leaning against a wall.

“One of the surgery’s reception staff went outside and walked to where the man was, which was around a corner out of sight of the surgery and about 500 yards away.

“There were a number of people with him and she asked if someone had dialled 999 for the man. She was told this had already been done.

“The gentleman himself was telling the people with him ‘I don’t want 999 I’m alright’. As the receptionist had satisfied herself that help was on the way she returned to the surgery.

“When she got back one of the GPs came into reception and she mentioned the incident to him, informing him that an ambulance had been called for. Not long after that an ambulance arrived on scene and the man was taken to hospital.

“We have subsequently checked and can find no record of the man having an appointment with the surgery on that day.

“Once again we would like to reiterate our condolences to the man’s family and friends.”