Woman seriously ill with sepsis spent hours in ambulance waiting for treatment that could've saved her

The revelations come against a backdrop of 2026 winter pressures at Blackpool Victoria Hospital

Hello and welcome to The Blackpool Lead.

Blackpool Victoria Hospital is a challenging place to be in the winter. This week’s report of the pressures experienced by the hospital came as no surprise - and they’re far from unique to the Vic.

But what was unique was Blackpool’s place at the bottom of a league nationally table for 12 hour waits from seeking treatment to finding a bed.

Long waits for treatment can have fatal consequences for people seeking treatment, and that’s what we explore in today’s edition.

Blackpool briefing

🏠 Another public meeting looks set to be held over over controversial plans to build 110 new homes in the Marton area of Blackpool. Baxter Group wants to build a mix of affordable apartments and houses on a seven-acre plot off Moss House Road in an area known as Marton Moss. However, the scheme has attracted more than 170 objections from residents in the district, one of the greenest areas of Blackpool which was once a “market garden” area where people grew flowers and vegetables for a living. Many of those opposed to the scheme say it is to large for the site, will have a detrimental effect on the character of the area and will create highway issues with the narrow roads in the vicinity. A public meeting, held at Stanley Conservative Club last week, was well attended.

🛎️ A prominent hotel on Blackpool’s South Shore seafront is planning to sell ice cream on its forecourt as part of a beach-themed garden enhancement area for the summer. The scheme is being proposed for the Craig Y Don Hotel at 209-217 Central Promenade. A planning application has been submitted to Blackpool Council’s planners for the erection of a seasonal temporary building to the front forecourt for use as ice cream kiosk, ancillary to existing hotel use.

💷 Proposals to transform two empty units in Poulton’s Teanlowe Centre into a bespoke banking hub unit have been given the green light. Last August it was announced that the town had been accepted for the banking hub amenity following a community request with the support of Andrew Snowden, MP for Fylde. Residents said the amenity was desperately needed because there are now no bank branches left in the town. Banking hubs are shared banking spaces, similar to a traditional bank branch, but available to all banking customers. The hub will provide a counter service operated by Post Office employees, enabling customers to withdraw and deposit cash, pay bills and carry out regular transactions.

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Woman seriously ill with sepsis spent hours in ambulance waiting for treatment that could’ve saved her

Reception at Blackpool Victoria Hospital

By Luke Beardsworth

A woman seriously ill with sepsis waited for hours in an ambulance outside Blackpool Victoria Hospital to be treated before her death, The Blackpool Lead can reveal.

The revelation comes in a week where the trust which runs Blackpool Victoria Hospital had to apologise to patients after it was highlighted that it was the worst performing in the country for 12 hours waits in hospital.

Janet Springall, 68, died shortly after midnight 27 January 2025 from pneumonia which had caused an overwhelming sepsis response and multi-organ failure after hours in the ambulance where desperate ambulance staff tried to keep her stable.

But a coroner writing to the trust, asking it set out what changes it will make in a prevention of future deaths report, said that any hope of saving her life had vanished by 7.30pm on 26 January.

Ms Springall was discovered unconscious in her care home by her sister at 1.30pm. An ambulance was called and a paramedic confirmed she was unresponsive and hypoglycaemic.

She had previously spent six weeks in hospital. Her medical history included being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis for which she was treated with immunosuppressant medication, which placed her at increased risk of infection.

She was revived and transferred to A&E at Blackpool Victoria Hospital by 4.58pm. However, due to the very high number of patients, many had to remain in an ambulance on that day.

A paramedic sought to escalate her care but demand on the service did not ease and she did not enter the hospital until 10.45pm. She was confirmed to be in septic shock and by 12.26am it was determined her condition would likely result in her death.

She died at 12.42am on 27 January.

The coroner’s conclusion from an inquest in January was: “A post mortem examination confirmed Janet had pneumonia which had caused an overwhelming sepsis response and multi – organ failure which proved fatal.

“From the available evidence, by the time she arrived at hospital, Janet was very unwell and likely to die even if she had received a timely clinical assessment and necessary treatment including antibiotics.

“In the absence of such treatment, from approximately 7.30 pm that evening, any subsequent treatment would not have altered the outcome.”