Grandmother told not to dial 999 ‘even for a heart attack’

A GRANDMOTHER, who was told by paramedics not to dial 999 even if she had a heart attack, took an overdose after repeatedly being refused hospital treatment. Dorothy Southard, 89, fell outside an Oxford bingo hall in April and contacted the NHS helpline number 111 on three separate occasions.

Paramedics from the South Central Ambulance Service were sent out on each occasion but could not find anything wrong with the pensioner – despite her having two bleeds on the brain – and declined to take her to hospital.

She again called 111 again on June 7 to say her “head felt heavy”, but no ambulance turned up. Anne Weston, her daughter, was on the phone and advised her to dial 999, only for a paramedic to arrive and tell her not to call for an ambulance again. The pensioner was eventually admitted to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. But doctors failed to spot the bleeds and sent her home. On June 12, she called her daughter to say she had taken an overdose.

Mrs Weston, talking of the warning her elderly mother was given by the paramedic, said: “I was on the phone and I said, ‘What about if she has a heart attack?’ He just replied not to call 999.”

Ambulance bosses have apologised. A spokesman said: “As a result of this investigation, disciplinary action was undertaken along with identifying additional training and supervision for the individual staff member involved.”

Mrs Southward, who has three grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, is still in hospital recovering from the brain bleed.