A devoted husband who complained about his dying wife 's care was mistakenly investigated for attempted murder after an NHS call-handler misunderstood his comments . John Histon called the health service after allegedly being told by a paramedic that call-outs to his wife Betty were 'becoming costly ' . Mr Histon said he told the 111 operator : ' I suppose it is best to get her to suffocate and she wo n't be a problem to you . ' The 70-year-old was then horrified when police turned up on his door 24 hours later saying ambulance trust staff reported he was threatening to kill his wife . A paramedic is said to have moaned that call-outs to terminally ill Betty Histon were 'becoming costly ' . When her husband complained to the NHS he was investigated for attempted murder over comments he made . After searching his home in Bristol and finding Mrs Histon - who had chronic lung conditions - asleep in bed , they dropped the investigation and the NHS has since apologised . Mr Histon , who has since lost his wife to long-standing lung problems , said his and her treatment in her final days was 'shocking ' . The retired decorator from Bristol said : 'When they turned up on the door they asked me `` do you know why we are here ? `` , I assumed there had been a break-in in the area . 'They said they had an allegation that I have tried to smother my wife - I thought it was a hoax . I was shocked and nearly hit the floor . ' I never deserted her and cared for her right to the very end so it was very distressing to be accused and I was very angry . ' Former auxiliary nurse Mrs Histon had a lung condition and her concerned husband called for paramedics on December 15 when she was struggling to breathe . He claims the paramedics who attended said the call-outs to the grandmother were 'becoming a costly exercise ' . Mr Histon said : 'The young female paramedic said `` what do you expect , there is no point in admitting her to hospital , there is nothing we can do for her '' . 'She was quite cocky about it and she said looking at the notes it looks like they had been called out quite frequently and it was becoming `` a costly exercise '' . ' Mr Histon called the NHS 111 service - who work with the ambulance service - the next day to lodge a complaint . An ambulance was called to Mrs Histon 's suburban street ( pictured ) in Bristol by her husband . Police arrived the following day after an NHS call handler misunderstood comments he made over the phone . ' I said to the operator I suppose it is best to get her to suffocate and she wo n't be a problem to you again to try and emphasise how upsetting it was to be told we were some kind of burden to them , ' he said . ' I thought nothing of it until the next evening I got a knock on the door from the police . 'They said they had received an allegation I had tried to smother my wife . They said it was from the ambulance . ' Mrs Histon died in January from bronchopneumonia and Mr Histon is considering legal action against South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust over his and his wife 's treatment . A spokesman for the trust said : 'Mr Histon raised concerns regarding advice he had been given by one of the ambulance crews who attended his wife . 'He also had concerns about a safeguarding referral made following Mr Histon 's comments about it being 'best to get her to suffocate ' . 'The Trust has given Mr Histon sincere condolences following the loss of his wife , and is sorry that he took offence from the advice given to him by the ambulance service . 'The Trust has also confirmed that the safeguarding referral to the police could have been managed differently , however , due to the number of vulnerable people the trust comes into contact with , staff are always very sensitive to such comments . 'Mr Histon has confirmed that he will be pursuing some form of financial compensation and although he has received a full response from the Trust regarding his complaint , should he feel there are any elements he still requires further clarification on we would urge him to get in touch . ' South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust , based in Exeter ( pictured ) , has apologised .
70-year - old says paramedic told him call - outs to his wife were ' costly ' The pensioner , from Bristol , phoned NHS to complain about the comments . He told call handler : ' I suppose it 's best to get her to leave ' But his complaints were misunderstood and passed on to police . OAP was then arrested and had his home searched by officers . NHS has now apologised to the elderly man , whose wife has since died .