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Case ref:201203095
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Date:March 2013
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Body:Scottish Ambulance Service
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Sector:Health
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Outcome:Not upheld, action taken by body to remedy, no recommendations
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Subject:failure to send ambulance/delay in sending ambulance
Summary
Miss C complained about the time that it took for an ambulance crew to attend to her late father, who had suffered a heart attack. The board explained that on receipt of an emergency 999 phone call, the nearest available ambulance was dispatched. However, when it was thought that the ambulance would be delayed due to road works, a second ambulance was dispatched and the first was stood down. The board then realised that the second ambulance had to negotiate the same road works and as a result arrived one minute after the time estimated for the first ambulance's arrival. The board explained that the first ambulance should not have been stood down and gave an assurance that lessons have been learned. We found that the board had taken the complaint seriously, and that the appropriate staff had been interviewed and reminded of their responsibilities. We took the view that further consideration of the complaint would not achieve more for Miss C.