A 55-year-old man, Brian Hurton, died at his East Kilbride home after emergency services declined to dispatch an ambulance following two 999 calls. Mr Hurton, who was suffering from an aortic dissection – a tear in the body's main artery – initially contacted emergency services at 17:55, reporting severe breathing difficulties and a sensation of collapsing. He was informed that a clinician would return his call, with advice to call back if his condition worsened.
Approximately ten minutes later, Mr Hurton made a second call, reiterating that he was "losing breath". On both occasions, call handlers advised that an ambulance would not be sent due to busy local services, and that a clinician would call him back. A clinician eventually attempted to contact Mr Hurton an hour and 12 minutes after his first call, but this and two subsequent calls went unanswered. An ambulance was not dispatched until 21:12, arriving at his home seven minutes later, nearly three and a half hours after his initial plea for help. Paramedics discovered Mr Hurton deceased on his bathroom floor.
Mr Hurton's sister, Allison Duncan, expressed profound distress and disbelief upon learning the circumstances of her brother's death. She highlighted the family's shock at the delayed response, particularly after Mr Hurton's repeated calls for help. Ms Duncan stated that listening to her brother's calls was "harrowing" and questioned why an ambulance was not sent immediately, or why call handlers did not suggest someone could attend to him. She believes Mr Hurton's twin brother could have reached him within seconds.
A review conducted by Healthcare Improvement Scotland into Mr Hurton's death, seen by BBC Scotland News, concluded that his first 999 call should have been assigned a higher priority response. The report indicated that if coded correctly, a "timelier" ambulance response would have "likely" been sent. However, it was not possible to ascertain whether an earlier response would have altered the outcome. The review also noted that the clinical review response time exceeded expected waiting times and that hospital delays reduced the ambulance service's capacity to address other emergency calls.
The review further recommended the development of additional guidance for vulnerable patients who are alone and whose condition could deteriorate. Despite the delays, the demands on the 999 service at the time were found to be lower than anticipated. A spokesperson for the Scottish Ambulance Service acknowledged the seriousness of the case, stating a full investigation would be carried out.
Source: BBC Scotland News