Dad died after paramedic failed to send ambulance to treat head injury

The family of a man who was injured and died at an ‘off-grid’ hutters’ encampment have won more than £500,000 in damages after he was not taken to hospital by ambulance following a 999 call.

Bryan O’Neill was visiting his hut at the Carbeth Hutters Community, in Stirlingshire, in June 2020 when he fell and suffered a head injury which bled copiously.

The following morning, he was found unconscious and was later pronounced dead.

Following his death the family of Mr O’Neill, 59, who was married with three children and three grandchildren, raised an action against the Scottish Ambulance Service Board at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, which was contested.

A judge ruled in a judgement that the family have proved a causal link between failures on the part of a service employee and the death of Mr O’Neill.

Lord Young said that based on the unchallenged evidence of a medical consultant in the action “if Mr O’Neill had been assessed at hospital, basic wound repairs would have resulted in the head laceration being sutured or stitched and he would not have suffered the loss of blood which led to his death”.

The court heard that Mr O’Neil, who previously suffered a stroke and was prescribed anti-platelet medication, was drinking with others at one of the huts before he fell and struck his head.

Dr Leanne Rae was also spending a weekend at the Carbeth Huts on her first visit and went with others to see if she could help the injured man.

Dr Rae, who obtained her medical degree at Edinburgh University in 2012, looked at the wound and told Mr O’Neill it was still bleeding and she needed to call for assistance.

An initial 999 call was made and a call handler categorised it as requiring further triage and remote consultation.

A trainee advanced paramedic practitioner called back and spoke to Dr Rae but no ambulance was sent to transport Mr O’Neill to hospital.

Lord Young said: “I conclude that the paramedic failed in a number of duties incumbent upon her. She failed to carry out a comprehensive triage assessment of Mr O’Neill.

“She failed to advise Dr Rae or Mr O’Neill that his presentation raised red flags which indicated that a hospital assessment was required that evening.

“She failed to send an ambulance despite knowing that alternative transport to hospital had not been arranged,” said the judge.

The Scottish Ambulance Service said: “We would once again like to express our sincere condolences to the O’Neill family. We are very sorry for their loss.

“We are limited in what we can say but will be carefully considering today’s Judgement Opinion and any implications for the Service.”