The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Anger at dead man’s taxi bill
NHS BOSSES have issued an apology to a west Fife widow after a taxi bill was sent to her dead husband.
The Courier reported in March how blind and seriously ill Kenneth Aitken, 66, was discharged from A&E at the Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, with a packet of paracetamol and still wearing his pyjamas.
He was forced to bang on his door at 4.30am, shouting “please help me”.
His shocked wife Wendy summoned another ambulance to their home in Rosyth but Mr Aitken later died.
Now Mrs Aitken has been shattered to receive a letter addressed to her husband requesting the £25.30 fare for the taxi he was sent home in. She said: “It was extremely upsetting. “The dreadful way my husband died should never have happened and then to get this letter addressed to him is unbelievable.
“I just want answers about what happened to my husband and to make sure they make changes.
“I don’t want this to happen to anyone else.”
The letter to Mr Aitken headed “recharge of taxis” dated May 7 stated: “The cost of the taxi was £25.30. This was made as a loan and I would be grateful if you could arrange to make the repayment at your earliest convenience.”
After Mrs Aitken complained to NHS Fife she received a response from Heather Knox, director of acute services. She wrote about the taxi bill letter: “It is terrible that this happened and once again I offer you a sincere apology.
“We have taken immediate action to ensure this can never happen again as I appreciate how distressing and inappropriate that request was. I deeply regret the anxiety this matter has caused and hope that my explanation goes some way to assuring you that we have taken on board the points you made.
“I do hope you will be able to accept our fulsome apology in this regard.”
“We hope that by doing this it will prevent a similar situation from reoccurring.”
Mr Aitken was Liberal Democrat councillor for Dunfermline for more than a decade up until 1992 when he had a severe stroke which left him blind.