A RETIRED ambulanceman who died after a heart attack "could have lived another ten years" if doctors had not bungled his treatment, a report claims.

The report by a top heart consultant slams Chase Farm Hospital doctors for repeatedly misdiagnosing Les Gentle's heart condition.

Mr Gentle, of Kent Road, Winchmore Hill, collapsed and died near his home on July 3 1996. He was 63.

In the five weeks prior to his death, he paid six visits to Chase Farm Hospital casualty department, complaining variously of chest, arm and back pains, and breathlessness.

Each time he was sent home again and told there was nothing seriously wrong with him.

The problem was diagnosed as muscle pain or tendinitis - and his GP recorded it as golfer's elbow.

And on the last visit before his death, his breathlessness was put down to a panic attack.

Five times he was given an electrocardiogram (ECG), which searches for signs of heart disease. But on each occasion doctors told him the ECG was clear.

Last week Chase Farm made a £30,000 out-of-court settlement with his family, with no admission of liability.

Their move to settle followed a report prepared on behalf of the family by Dr Alan Harris, consultant cardiologist to Charing Cross and Chelsea and Westminster hospitals.

Dr Harris, given access to the hospital's scans and notes, said doctors had failed to spot clear signs of heart disease on the ECGs.

Blood tests also showed Mr Gentle's cholestorol level - which can be a factor in the development of heart disease - was abnormally high

Mr Harris concludes: "Mr Gentle died as a result in my opinion of negligent medical management and investigation of his chest and arm pain.

With correct treatment, said Dr Harris, "I would have anticipated that his life expectancy would have been increased by at least a further ten years."

Though no diagnosis of heart disease was made while he was alive, the cause of death listed on Mr Gentle's death certificate was heart disease and a heart attack.

Mr Gentle worked in the London Ambulance Service for 15 years before his retirement in 1996.

He worked his way up from ambulanceman to manager, and was a veteran of the Moorgate tube disaster.

His daughter Tracey and son-in-law Peter both followed his footsteps into the LAS, and his widow Marion was a medical secretary.

Tracey said: "Les wasn't the sort to go to hospital for anything. He was an ambulanceman. He knew something was wrong, and he was crying out for help, but he didn't get it. Now the whole thing's been swept under the carpet, and we want people to know what happened."

As the Independent went to press Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals Trust had still to comment on the case.

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