Multiple deaths as ambulance delays by trust are apparently deliberate
- Nov 4, 2015
- EmmaArnold
Investigations are under-way after patients with 'life-threatening' illnesses experienced deliberate ambulance delays.
Patients who called the NHS 111 line with serious conditions did not receive an ambulance quick enough after a whistle-blower has revealed a secret policy at an ambulance trust.
The deaths of up to 25 patients will be investigated after they did not receive an ambulance response within eight minutes.
The South East Coast Ambulance trust developed its own unauthorised policy of deliberately delaying ambulance to thousands of patients by downgrading the 111 calls giving paramedics an extra ten minutes to attend.
The cases under investigation include that of a Sussex man, aged 60, who suffered clear signs of cardiac arrest but his call was downgraded and he sadly died soon after paramedics arrived 39 minutes after the call was made.
NHS 111 call-handlers apparently had no idea the ambulances they ordered were being delayed.
Hannah Bottomely, Solicitor at PotterReesDolan clinical negligence department, said:
This is a particularly shocking instance of a policy causing harm to unsuspecting patients. We often comment on the need for speed when treating serious conditions and illnesses as even short delays can have a major detrimental impact on patients.
My thoughts go out to the family of the gentleman who sadly passed away after having his call regarding cardiac pain downgraded. Whilst I am unable to comment on whether or not he might have survived had the ambulance reached him sooner, it would seem almost certain that an earlier attendance in an appropriate and recognised emergency situation would have given him a much better chance.