OAP’s anger after waiting two hours for ambulance

A COMPLAINT has been lodged to the Scottish Ambulance Service over claims an OAP waited nearly two hours for an ambulance.

Esther Lindsay, a retired sheltered housing warden, fell ill in the Wellgate’s food court after her left leg seized up.

The 77-year-old — who suffers from digestive condition diverticulitis — was unable to move or sit down after her bowel moved on to a sciatic nerve at the top of her thigh.

The West End resident said staff immediately contacted an ambulance at around 4.50pm, adding: “I had been in a bit of discomfort all afternoon.

“It became exceedingly painful once I stood up after my meal. Wellgate staff advised me that my initial request for an ambulance had been refused. At the time, it was quite upsetting — my GP couldn’t attend because it wasn’t a house call. It was hard to take the fact that a call handler had the right to sit behind a phone to deem if I should receive an ambulance.”

Esther says she was finally admitted to Ninewells at 7.06pm after an ambulance arrived at 6.55pm.

West End councillor Fraser Macpherson lodged a complaint over Esther’s treatment during November’s incident.

The ambulance service apologised to Esther i n a l etter sent to Mr Macpherson last week.

The service says it received a call at 4.53pm, with the “first available resource” allocated at 6.06pm. It said Esther arrived at hospital at 6.13pm.

It noted her condition was not deemed an emergency initially but that it “deteriorated”. An emergency response was then generated.

Mr Macpherson said: “The response time for the ambulance was completely inadequate. I lodged a complaint and the response that we received has also been concerning.

“It features inaccurate times for when the patient arrived at hospital.

“I’ve gone back to the chief executive regarding the matter.”

A Scottish Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Unfortunately we were experiencing high demand when we received a call to attend Mrs Lindsay and we have apologised as she waited longer than we would have liked.

“The sickest and most seriously injured patients, including those with immediately life-threatening conditions, are given the highest priority.”